Japan retained its culture while modernizing. It established its first legislature called the Imperial Diet in 1890. The Japanese constitution established representative democracy, though citizens only have the powers granted by the constitution. Local residents have broader participation rights. Political participation is limited, so many citizens are uninterested. Japanese political relations are based on hierarchy and accepting authority. A sense of conformism and group loyalty dominates. Politicians rise through consensus building, not personality. Factions have long influenced domestic politics.

1. A Visit on its Political
Culture

2. Japan is one of the few non-
European countries to
modernize while retaining its
own culture.

3. Under the first constitution of Japan in
1890 (the Meiji Constitution if 1890), Japan
established the first modern legislature
called “the Imperial Diet”.
The Japanese constitution is apparently
premised upon the Representative
democracy.

4. People in Japan no longer have any
sovereign power after the enactment of
the constitution and the only powers they
have are those granted by the
Constitution.
Local residents are granted broader rights of
participation.

5. There is also a strict limitation as to where the
political participation in Japan is concerned
and this is the reason why not many of the
citizens are interested in politics.
Japanese attitudes towards politics or self-
assessments of personal motivation may
therefore be more casual or superficial than
among people who are, in certain senses,
more “politicized”

6. One aspect of post-war Japan’s political
culture is that Japanese social relations
are essentially based on hierarchy.
Individuals are taught that the group
comes first, and they are willing to accept
hard work, poor living conditions, and
limited personal liberty to support the
group.

7. Japanese tend to accept values based
on subservience to authority.
It was male-oriented and paternalistic,
though female members was no
recognized.

8. A sense of conformism and group loyalty is a
dominant feature of the Japanese culture.
Japanese Prime ministers rise to their
position because of their amicability and in
their skills at consensus building. Seldom
do they rise to their position because of the
strength of their personality or the force of
their ideas.

9. Japanese politics have long been
characterized by strong political
factions.
Many political analysts believed that
Japan’s pre-1994 electoral system
contributed to the strength of factions.

10. In order to win votes, candidates had
to distinguish themselves from their
party’s other candidates, often by
developing a personal following, or
faction.

11. In domestic politics, the LDP continued to hold
the reins of government throughout the
1970s, although the party’s cabinets changed
frequently, due largely to factional infighting.
In the aftermath of the scandals, the LDP lost
its absolute majority in the lower house
between 1976 and 1980.

12. Women are likely to be concerned about
public policy issues due to the fact, in
some extent that these issues are
regarded to their primary role in the
household as a wife and a mother to the
family.
Japanese women claim that they are
politically independent.

13. Women have higher voting rates
because they believe that voting is a
civic duty.
Membership in women’s associations
increases probability of voting.

14. Housewives are just as interested
in politics and voting.
Middle-aged women have a high
probability of voting.

15. NPC is the theory that explains the
changes in political attitudes and
actions of the public in advance
industrialized societies.

16. According to Nakatani, Clark and Inglehart, there
are three major factors as the cause of the rise
of this New Political Culture.
• Economic- from agriculture and
manufacturing to rise of technology or “high
tech”
• Social- increase in the number of smaller
families, extended family and the weakening
of family links to education and occupations.
• Governmental- highlighted the developed
welfare state programs that have solved many
of the major problems of the past.

17. Some studies have found NPC Features in
Japan at the local political elite level.
HOSHU KAKUSHIN- the equivalent of
classic left right ideology in western
societies.

18. In the Past:
• Hoshu meant support for a prewar
regime and the rearmament of Japan,
• Kakushin meant support for an anti
prewar regime and the opposition to
the rearmament of Japan.

19. In the Present:
• Hoshu meant support for small
governments, market economy, and
economic development.
• Kakushin meant support for big
governments, equality and
participation.

20. NPC citizens refuse to be treated as “clients”
of parties or the government as they have
more personal resources (education,
income, communication skill, etc.).
They are more active in joining issue-specific
organizations and seeking participation in
general policy formation.