Japan

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Japan

Politics of Japan Constitution Emperor (list) Akihito Imperial Household Agency Government Prime Minister (list) Yasuo Fukuda Cabinet Ministries National Diet House of Councillors House of Representatives Judicial system Elections 1990 - 1993 - 1996 - 2000 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2007 Political parties Liberal Democratic Democratic Party New Kōmeitō Communist Social Democratic Political extremism Prefectures Fiscal policy Foreign policy / Foreign relations Human rights

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The politics of Japan take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister of Japan is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The has been the founding legal document of Japan since 1947 The constitution provides for a Parliamentary system of government and guarantees certain fundamental rights The of Japan is the country's Monarch. He is the head of the Japanese Imperial Family. is the current of Japan, and the 125th Emperor according to Japan's traditional order of succession. The is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japan's imperial family and also keeping the Privy Seal and the State Seal Japan no longer officially has the traditional Federal system, and its 47 prefectures, and prefectural and municipal assembly members are popularly elected for The is the usual English-language term used for the Head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Prime This is a list of Prime Ministers of Japan, and its predecessor state the Empire of Japan, from when the first Prime Minister (in the modern sense Hirobumi was the 91st Prime Minister of Japan, serving from 2007 to 2008 The is the Executive branch of the Government of Japan. It consists of the Prime Minister and up to fourteen other members called Ministers of State The most influential part of the executive of the Japanese government are the ministries. The is Japan's Bicameral Legislature. It is composed of a Lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an Upper house, called The is the Upper house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives is the Lower house. The is the Lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the Upper house. In the judicial system of Japan, the postwar constitution guarantees that "all judges shall be independent in the exercise of their conscience and shall be bound only by The Japanese political system has three types of elections general elections to the House of Representatives held every four years (unless the lower house is dissolved earlier elections Japan held a nationwide election for the House of Representatives, the more powerful Lower house of the National Diet than the Upper house, on Japan held a nationwide election to the House of Representatives, the more powerful Lower house of the National Diet, on July 18, 1993 A general election took place in Japan on October 20, 1996. Incumbent Prime Minister Hashimoto Ryutaro of the coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party Elections to the Shugi-In ( House of Representatives) of the Japanese Diet were held on 25 June 2000. A general election took place in Japan on November 9, 2003. Incumbent Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of the Liberal Elections to the House of Councillors, the upper house of the legislature of Japan, were held on July 11, 2004. For a breakdown of the results by block district with maps see Results of Japan general election 2005 Japan held a nationwide election to The for the upper house of the legislature of Japan were held on July 29 2007. Political parties in Japan lists political parties in Japan. Japan while universally recognized as a Liberal democracy with free and fair elections The, frequently abbreviated to LDP or, is a Centre right, conservative, Political party and the largest party in Japan. The is a liberal Political party in Japan founded in 1998 by the merger of several smaller parties The, New Komeito Party, or NKP is a Centre-right political party in Japan founded by members of the Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai The Japanese Communist Party ( JCP) ( Japanese " 日本共産党 Nihon Kyōsan-tō) is a Political party in Japan. The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also abbreviated as SDP in English While Japan 's political mainstream can be described as a "one and a half" party system with the LDP being the dominant force there is room for political extremism The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 sub-national Jurisdictions one "metropolis" (都 to) Tokyo; one " circuit Monetary policy pertains to the regulation availability and cost of credit while fiscal policy deals with government expenditures taxes and debt The primary responsibility for the Japanese foreign policy, as determined by the 1947 constitution, is exercised by the cabinet and subject to the overall supervision Since the surrender after World War II and the return to the international community by the Treaty of San Francisco, Japanese diplomatic policy has been Japan is a Liberal democracy. According to Ministry of Justice (MOJ figures the Japanese Legal Affairs Bureau offices and civil liberties volunteers dealt Information on politics by country is available for every Country, including both De jure and De facto independent A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or The is the usual English-language term used for the Head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Prime This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State A multi-party system is a system in which three or more political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition Executive power is exercised by the government. In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament; the Diet with the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. The is Japan's Bicameral Legislature. It is composed of a Lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an Upper house, called The is the Lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the Upper house. The is the Upper house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives is the Lower house. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State In academic studies, Japan is generally considered a constitutional monarchy, based largely upon the British system with strong influences from European continental civil law countries such as the German Bundestag. A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is The politics of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland takes place in the framework of a Constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is Head Civil law or Romano-Germanic law or Continental law is the predominant system of law in the world. The Bundestag ("Federal Diet " or "Lower House of German Parliament" is the Parliament of Germany. For example, in 1896 the Japanese government established Minpo, the Civil Code, on the French model. A civil code is a systematic compilation of laws designed to comprehensively deal with the core areas of Private law. With post-World War II modifications, the code remains in effect in present-day Japan. ^[1]

The Emperor

The Imperial Palace in Tokyo is the primary residence of the emperor

The Imperial Household of Japan is headed by the Emperor of Japan. is the imperial main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in Chiyoda Tokyo close to Tokyo Station and contains various buildings The Imperial House of Japan (also referred to as the Imperial Family or kōshitsu, 皇室 comprises those members of the extended family of the reigning Emperor of The Constitution of Japan defines the emperor to be "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people. " He performs ceremonial duties and holds no real power, not even emergency reserve powers. In a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of Government, a reserve power is a power that may be exercised by the Head of state without the Power is held mainly by the Prime Minister and other elected members of the Diet. The is Japan's Bicameral Legislature. It is composed of a Lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an Upper house, called Sovereignty is vested in the Japanese people by the constitution. The are the dominant Ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent of these approximately 127 million are residents of Japan Though his official status is disputed, on diplomatic occasions the emperor tends to behave (with widespread public support, it should be noted) as though he were a head of state. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state Japan is the only country in the world headed by an emperor. An emperor (from the Latin " Imperator " is a (male Monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an Empire or another type of

Executive branch

Main article: Government of Japan

The executive branch reports to the Diet. Japan no longer officially has the traditional Federal system, and its 47 prefectures, and prefectural and municipal assembly members are popularly elected for The of Japan is the country's Monarch. He is the head of the Japanese Imperial Family. is the current of Japan, and the 125th Emperor according to Japan's traditional order of succession. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) The is the usual English-language term used for the Head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Prime was the 91st Prime Minister of Japan, serving from 2007 to 2008 The, frequently abbreviated to LDP or, is a Centre right, conservative, Political party and the largest party in Japan. Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The chief of the executive branch, the Prime Minister, is appointed by the Emperor as directed by the Diet. The is the usual English-language term used for the Head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Prime He must be a member of either house of the Diet and a civilian. The Cabinet, which he organizes, must also be civilian. The is the Executive branch of the Government of Japan. It consists of the Prime Minister and up to fourteen other members called Ministers of State Since the Liberal Democratic Party (the LDP) has been in power, it has been convention that the President of the LDP serves as prime minister. The, frequently abbreviated to LDP or, is a Centre right, conservative, Political party and the largest party in Japan. The Cabinet is composed of a Prime Minister and ministers of state, and is responsible to the Diet. The is the Executive branch of the Government of Japan. It consists of the Prime Minister and up to fourteen other members called Ministers of State The is the usual English-language term used for the Head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Prime The Prime Minister must be a member of the Diet, and is designated by his colleagues. The is Japan's Bicameral Legislature. It is composed of a Lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an Upper house, called The Prime Minister has the power to appoint and remove ministers, a majority of whom must be Diet members. The liberal conservative LDP has been in power since 1955, except for a short-lived coalition government formed from its opposition parties in 1993; the largest opposition party is the social liberal Democratic Party of Japan. Liberal conservatism is a variant of Conservatism which combines conservative and liberal values and positions A coalition government, or coalition cabinet, is a Cabinet of a parliamentary Government in which several parties cooperate Social liberalism, also called new liberalism (as it was originally termed high liberalism radical liberalism, modern liberalism, or The is a liberal Political party in Japan founded in 1998 by the merger of several smaller parties

Legislative branch

National Diet Building in Tokyo

By the Constitution, the Diet is the most powerful of the three branches and consists of two houses; the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. The is the place where both houses of the Diet of Japan meet It is located at 1-chome Nagatachō, Chiyoda Tokyo. The has been the founding legal document of Japan since 1947 The constitution provides for a Parliamentary system of government and guarantees certain fundamental rights The is Japan's Bicameral Legislature. It is composed of a Lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an Upper house, called The is the Lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the Upper house. The is the Upper house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives is the Lower house. The Diet directs the Emperor in the appointment and removal of the chiefs of the executive and judicial branches. is the current of Japan, and the 125th Emperor according to Japan's traditional order of succession.

Main article: Japan general election, 2005

Political parties and elections

House of Representatives Election in 2005

House of Councilors Election in 2007

The LDP has been the dominant party for most of the post-war period since 1955, and is composed of several factions.

Judicial branch

The judicial branch is independent of the other two. Its judges are appointed by the Emperor as directed by the Diet.

Japan's judicial system - drawn from customary law, civil law, and Anglo-American common law - consists of several levels of courts, with the Supreme Court as the final judicial authority. The Japanese constitution, drawn up on May 3, 1947 includes a bill of rights similar to the United States Bill of Rights, and the Supreme Court has the right of judicial review. The has been the founding legal document of Japan since 1947 The constitution provides for a Parliamentary system of government and guarantees certain fundamental rights Events 1491 - Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries adopting the baptismal name of João Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In the United States the Bill of Rights is the name by which the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are known Japanese courts do not use a jury system, and there are no administrative courts or claims courts. Because of the judicial system's basis, court decisions are made in accordance with legal statutes. Only Supreme Court decisions have any direct effect on later interpretation of the law.

See also: Japanese law, Judicial system of Japan

Policy making

Despite an increasingly unpredictable domestic and international environment, policy making conforms to well established postwar patterns. Law of Japan was historically heavily influenced by Chinese law and developed independently during the Edo period through texts such as Kujikata Osadamegaki In the judicial system of Japan, the postwar constitution guarantees that "all judges shall be independent in the exercise of their conscience and shall be bound only by The close collaboration of the ruling party, the elite bureaucracy and important interest groups often make it difficult to tell who exactly is responsible for specific policy decisions. The Japanese civil service has over one million employees with 400000 workers in postal service or Japan Post (since 2003 being the biggest part The tendency for insiders to guard information on such matters compounds the difficulty, especially for foreigners wishing to understand how domestic decision making can be influenced to reduce trade problems.

Human factor

The most important human factor in the policy-making process is the homogeneity of the political and business elites. They are graduates of a relatively small number of top-ranked universities, such as the University of Tokyo, Waseda University, and so on. The, abbreviated as, is a major Research university located in Tokyo, Japan. often abbreviated to, is one of the top universities in Japan.

These shared educational backgrounds encourage a feeling of community, as is reflected in the finely meshed network of marriage alliances between top official and financial circle (zaikai) families. The institution of early retirement also fosters homogeneity. In the practice of amakudari, literally descent from heaven, as it is popularly known, bureaucrats retiring in their fifties often assume top positions in public corporations and private enterprise. is the institutionalised practice where Japanese senior bureaucrats retire to high-profile positions in the private and public sectors They also become politicians. By the late 1980s, most postwar prime ministers had civil service backgrounds.

This homogeneity facilitates the free flow of ideas among members of the elite in informal settings. Bureaucrats and business people that are associated with a single industry, such as electronics, often hold regular informal meetings in Tokyo hotels and restaurants. Political scientist T.J. Pempel has pointed out that the concentration of political and economic power in Tokyo—particularly the small geographic area of its central wards—makes it easy for leaders, who are almost without exception denizens of the capital, to have repeated personal contact. T J Pempel (PhD Columbia) joined the Political Science Department at the University of California Berkeley in July 2001 and was the director of the Another often overlooked factor is the tendency of elite males not to be family men, even though they usually have wives and children. Late night work and bar-hopping schedules give them ample ways of doing this outstanding opportunity to hash and rehash policy matters and engage in haragei (literally, belly art), or intimate, often nonverbal communication. Hara & Ki The bushi of Feudal Japan were trained and conditioned to wield their weapons with deadly accuracy and precision Comparable to the warriors of ancient Sparta, who lived in barracks apart from their families during much of their childhood and adulthood, the business and bureaucratic elites are expected to sacrifice their private lives for the national good. The city of Sparta ( Doric Σπάρτα Attic Σπάρτη

Policy development

After a largely informal process within elite circles in which ideas were discussed and developed, steps might be taken to institute more formal policy development. This process often took place in deliberation councils (shingikai). There were about 200 shingikai, each attached to a ministry; their members were both officials and prominent private individuals in business, education, and other fields. The shingikai played a large role in facilitating communication among those who ordinarily might not meet. Given the tendency for real negotiations in Japan to be conducted privately (in the nemawashi, or root binding, process of consensus building), the shingikai often represented a fairly advanced stage in policy formulation in which relatively minor differences could be thrashed out and the resulting decisions couched in language acceptable to all. Nemawashi (根回し in Japanese Culture is an informal process of quietly laying the foundation for some proposed change or project by talking to the people concerned These bodies were legally established but had no authority to oblige governments to adopt their recommendations.

The most important deliberation council during the 1980s was the Provisional Commission for Administrative Reform, established in March 1981 by Prime Minister Suzuki Zenko. Zenko Suzuki (鈴木 善幸 Suzuki Zenkō; January 11, 1911 &ndash July 19, 2004) was a Japanese Politician The commission had nine members, assisted in their deliberations by six advisers, twenty-one "expert members," and around fifty "councillors" representing a wide range of groups. Its head, Keidanren president Doko Toshio, insisted that government agree to take its recommendations seriously and commit itself to reforming the administrative structure and the tax system. Japan Business Federation (日本経済団体連合会 known in Japanese as the Nippon Keidanren, is a economic organization founded in May 2002 by amalgamation Toshiwo Doko (土光 敏夫 Dokō Toshio, September 15 1896 - August 4 1988) was a Japanese Engineer born in Mitsu In 1982 the commission had arrived at several recommendations that by the end of the decade had been actualized. These implementations included tax reform; a policy to limit government growth; the establishment, in 1984, of the Management and Coordination Agency to replace the Administrative Management Agency in the Office of the Prime Minister; and privatization of the state-owned railroad and telephone systems. Although the Japanese economy is largely based on private enterprise it does have a number of government-owned (public corporations, which are more extensive and in some cases In April 1990, another deliberation council, the Election Systems Research Council, submitted proposals that included the establishment of single-seat constituencies in place of the multiple-seat system.

Another significant policy-making institution in the early 1990s was the LDP's Policy Research Council. It consisted of a number of committees, composed of LDP Diet members, with the committees corresponding to the different executive agencies. Committee members worked closely with their official counterparts, advancing the requests of their constituents, in one of the most effective means through which interest groups could state their case to the bureaucracy through the channel of the ruling party.

See also: Industrial policy of Japan; Monetary and fiscal policy of Japan; Mass media and politics in Japan

Post-war political development

Political parties had begun to revive almost immediately after the occupation began. A complicated system of Industrial Policies was devised by the Japanese Government after World War II and especially in the 1950s and 1960s Monetary policy pertains to the regulation availability and cost of credit while fiscal policy deals with government expenditures taxes and debt This article's focus is mass media and their interaction with politics in Japan. At the end of World War II, Japan was occupied by the Allied Powers, led by the United States with contributions also from Australia, British Left-wing organizations, such as the Japan Socialist Party and the Japanese Communist Party, quickly reestablished themselves, as did various conservative parties. The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also abbreviated as SDP in English The Japanese Communist Party ( JCP) ( Japanese " 日本共産党 Nihon Kyōsan-tō) is a Political party in Japan. The old Seiyokai and Rikken Minseito came back as, respectively, the Liberal Party (Nihon Jiyuto) and the Japan Progressive Party (Nihon Shimpoto). was one of the main political parties in pre-war Japan. It was also known as simply the ‘Minseitō’ The first postwar elections were held in 1948 (women were given the franchise for the first time in 1947), and the Liberal Party's vice president, Yoshida Shigeru (1878-1967), became prime minister. KCVO September 22, 1878 &ndash October 20, 1967, was a Japanese Diplomat and politician who served as Prime Minister For the 1947 elections, anti-Yoshida forces left the Liberal Party and joined forces with the Progressive Party to establish the new Democratic Party (Minshuto). The is a liberal Political party in Japan founded in 1998 by the merger of several smaller parties This divisiveness in conservative ranks gave a plurality to the Japan Socialist Party, which was allowed to form a cabinet, which lasted less than a year. Thereafter, the socialist party steadily declined in its electoral successes. After a short period of Democratic Party administration, Yoshida returned in late 1948 and continued to serve as prime minister until 1954.

Even before Japan regained full sovereignty, the government had rehabilitated nearly 80,000 people who had been purged, many of whom returned to their former political and government positions. A debate over limitations on military spending and the sovereignty of the emperor ensued, contributing to the great reduction in the Liberal Party's majority in the first post-occupation elections (October 1952). Even during the Cold War Arms race of the 1980s the Defense budget was accorded a relatively low priority in Japan. There have been several controversies regarding the role and the status of the Emperor of Japan. After several reorganizations of the armed forces, in 1954 the Japan Self-Defense Forces were established under a civilian director. The, or JSDF, are the military forces in Japan that were established after the end of the post- World War II American occupation of Japan Cold War realities and the hot war in nearby Korea also contributed significantly to the United States-influenced economic redevelopment, the suppression of communism, and the discouragement of organized labor in Japan during this period. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming

Continual fragmentation of parties and a succession of minority governments led conservative forces to merge the Liberal Party (Jiyuto) with the Japan Democratic Party (Nihon Minshuto), an offshoot of the earlier Democratic Party, to form the Liberal Democratic Party (Jiyu-Minshuto; LDP) in November 1955. A minority government or a minority cabinet is a Cabinet of a Parliamentary system formed when the governing Political party or The, frequently abbreviated to LDP or, is a Centre right, conservative, Political party and the largest party in Japan. This party continuously held power from 1955 through 1993, when it was replaced by a new minority government. LDP leadership was drawn from the elite who had seen Japan through the defeat and occupation; it attracted former bureaucrats, local politicians, businessmen, journalists, other professionals, farmers, and university graduates. In October 1955, socialist groups reunited under the Japan Socialist Party, which emerged as the second most powerful political force. The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also abbreviated as SDP in English It was followed closely in popularity by the Komeito (Clean Government Party), founded in 1964 as the political arm of the Soka Gakkai (Value Creation Society), until 1991 a lay organization affiliated with the Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist sect. The, New Komeito Party, or NKP is a Centre-right political party in Japan founded by members of the Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai Nichiren Shōshū (日蓮正宗 is a branch of Nichiren Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk Nichiren ( 1222 – 1282 The Komeito emphasized traditional Japanese beliefs and attracted urban laborers, former rural residents, and many women. Like the Japan Socialist Party, it favored the gradual modification and dissolution of the Japan-United States Mutual Security Assistance Pact. The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also abbreviated as SDP in English The was signed between the United States and Japan in Washington DC on January 19, 1960.

Recent political developments

LDP domination lasted until the Diet Lower House elections on July 18, 1993, in which the LDP failed to win a majority. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar)

A coalition of new parties and existing opposition parties formed a governing majority and elected a new prime minister, Morihiro Hosokawa, in August 1993. Morihiro Hosokawa (細川 護煕 Hosokawa Morihiro, born January 14, 1938) is a Japanese Politician who was the 79th Prime Minister His government's major legislative objective was political reform, consisting of a package of new political financing restrictions and major changes in the electoral system. The coalition succeeded in passing landmark political reform legislation in January 1994.

In April 1994, Prime Minister Hosokawa resigned. Prime Minister Tsutomu Hata formed the successor coalition government, Japan's first minority government in almost 40 years. is a Japanese Politician and was the 80th Prime Minister of Japan for several weeks in 1994 Prime Minister Hata resigned less than two months later.

Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama formed the next government in June 1994, a coalition of his Japan Socialist Party (JSP), the LDP, and the small New Party Sakigake. is a retired Japanese politician who served as the 81st Prime Minister of Japan from June 30, 1994 to January 11, 1996. The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also abbreviated as SDP in English The New Party Sakigake (新党さきがけ Shinto Sakigake or The Forerunnner) was a Japanese Political party that broke away from the Liberal The advent of a coalition containing the JSP and LDP shocked many observers because of their previously fierce rivalry.

Prime Minister Murayama served from June 1994 to January 1996. He was succeeded by Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, who served from January 1996 to July 1998. Ryutaro Hashimoto (橋本 龍太郎 Hashimoto Ryūtarō, July 29, 1937 - July 1, 2006) was a Japanese Politician Prime Minister Hashimoto headed a loose coalition of three parties until the July 1998 Upper House election, when the two smaller parties cut ties with the LDP.

Hashimoto resigned due to a poor electoral showing by the LDP in those Upper House elections. He was succeeded as party president of the LDP and prime minister by Keizo Obuchi, who took office on July 30, 1998. Events 1419 - First Defenestration of Prague. 1502 - Christopher Columbus lands at Guanaja in the Bay Islands off Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar)

The LDP formed a governing coalition with the Liberal Party in January 1999, and Keizo Obuchi remained prime minister. The LDP-Liberal coalition expanded to include the New Komeito Party in October 1999.

Prime Minister Obuchi suffered a stroke in April 2000 and was replaced by Yoshiro Mori. After the Liberal Party left the coalition in April 2000, Prime Minister Mori welcomed a Liberal Party splinter group, the New Conservative Party, into the ruling coalition. The New Conservative Party (保守新党 Hoshu Shinto) is a now-defunct political party in Japan originally led by Hiroshi Kumagai. The three-party coalition made up of the LDP, New Komeito, and the New Conservative Party maintained its majority in the Diet following the June 2000 Lower House elections.

After a turbulent year in office in which he saw his approval ratings plummet to the single digits, Prime Minister Mori agreed to hold early elections for the LDP presidency in order to improve his party's chances in crucial July 2001 Upper House elections. On April 24, 2001, riding a wave of grassroots desire for change, maverick politician Junichiro Koizumi defeated former Prime Minister Hashimoto and other party stalwarts on a platform of economic and political reform. Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006 Koizumi was elected as Japan's 87th Prime Minister on April 26, 2001. Events 1467 - The miraculous image in Our Lady of Good Counsel appear in Genazzano, Italy. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar.

On October 11, 2003, the Prime Minister Koizumi dissolved the lower house after he was re-elected as the president of the LDP. Events 1138 - A massive earthquake struck Aleppo, Syria. 1531 - Huldrych Zwingli is killed Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. The is the Lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the Upper house. (See Japan general election, 2003) Likewise, that year, the LDP won the election, even though it suffered setbacks from the new opposition party, the liberal and social-democratic Democratic Party (DPJ). A general election took place in Japan on November 9, 2003. Incumbent Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of the Liberal Liberalism is a broad array of related ideas and theories of Government that consider individual Liberty to be the most important political goal Social democracy is a Political ideology of the left and centre-left The is a liberal Political party in Japan founded in 1998 by the merger of several smaller parties A similar event occurred during the 2004 Upper House Elections.

On August 8, 2005, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi called a snap election to the lower house, as threatened, after LDP stalwarts and opposition DPJ parliamentarians defeated his proposal for a large-scale reform and privatisation of Japan Post, which besides being Japan's state-owned postal monopoly is arguably the world's largest financial institution, with nearly 331 trillion yen of assets. Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006 For a breakdown of the results by block district with maps see Results of Japan general election 2005 Japan held a nationwide election to was a public corporation in Japan, that existed from 2003–2007 offering postal and package delivery services banking services and life insurance The election was scheduled for September 11, 2005, and was won in a landslide by Junichiro Koizumi's LDP. Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006

On February 16, 2006, DPJ member Hisayasu Nagata made false allegations that the son of LDP Secretary-General Tsutomu Takebe illicitly received money from the former president of Livedoor, Takafumi Horie. Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. is a Japanese politician born in Nagoya City in Aichi Prefecture. The only evidence for this allegation was an e-mail allegedly sent from Takafumi Horie to Tsutomu Takebe. is a Japanese Entrepreneur who founded Livedoor, a Website -design operation that grew into an Internet portal involved in a wide range of businesses was secretary general of Japan 's Liberal Democratic Party from 2004 to 2006. The allegations were immediately contested, and on March 2, 2006, Nagata admitted that the e-mail was forged, but stated that he truly believed at the time of the allegation that the e-mail was real. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. This naturally led to the disgrace of the DPJ, and many party members resigned as a result, including Nagata and party president Seiji Maehira. As of April 5, 2006, Naoto Kan and Ichirō Ozawa were running for the party presidency. Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. (born June 24, 1942) is a Japanese politician Formerly a chief secretary of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP he later defected from the LDP and he

On September 26, 2006 new LDP President Shinzo Abe was elected by a special session of the Diet to succeed Junichiro Koizumi as Prime Minister. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006 He is Japan's youngest post-World War II prime minister and the first born after the war.

On September 12, 2007, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe surprised Japan by announcing his resignation from office. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. He was eventually replaced by Yasuo Fukuda. was the 91st Prime Minister of Japan, serving from 2007 to 2008

On November 4, 2007, main opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa announced his resignation from the post as party president, after controversy over an offer to the DPJ to join the ruling coalition in a grand coalition. Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. (born June 24, 1942) is a Japanese politician Formerly a chief secretary of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP he later defected from the LDP and he A grand coalition is a Coalition government in a Multi-party Parliamentary system where the two largest political parties unite in a coalition ^[2], but has since, with some embarrassment, rescinded his resignation.

On January 11, 2008, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda forced a bill allowing ships to continue a refueling mission in the Indian Ocean in support of US-led operations in Afghanistan. Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common was the 91st Prime Minister of Japan, serving from 2007 to 2008 To do so, PM Fukuda used the LDP's overwhelming majority in the Lower House to ignore a previous 'no-vote' of the opposition-controlled Upper House. This is the first time in 50 years that the Lower House has voted to ignore the opinion of the Upper House.

Census

The government of Japan collects information on the population. The 2005 census collected information on population, age, sex, household size, work and income as of the end of September.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Japan

Japan is a member state of the United Nations and a non-permanent member of the Security Council; it is currently one of the "G4 nations" seeking permanent membership. Since the surrender after World War II and the return to the international community by the Treaty of San Francisco, Japanese diplomatic policy has been The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security

Japan's current constitution prohibits the use of military forces to wage war against other countries. However, the government maintains "Self-Defense Forces" which include air, land and sea components. The, or JSDF, are the military forces in Japan that were established after the end of the post- World War II American occupation of Japan Japan's deployment of non-combat troops to Iraq marked the first overseas use of its military since World War II. Background The Koizumi administration originally ordered the controversial formation and deployment of the JIRSG at the request of the United States. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

As an economic power, Japan is a member of the G8 and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and has developed relations with ASEAN as a member of "ASEAN plus three" and the East Asia Summit. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly referred to as ASEAN, ˈɑːsiːɑːn AH-see-ahn in English (the Official language The East Asia Summit (EAS is a forum held annually by leaders of 16 countries in the East Asian region It is a major donor in international aid and development efforts, donating 0. Aid (from the french word aide, also known as international aid, overseas aid, or foreign aid, especially in the United States) is 19% of its Gross National Income in 2004. Gross National Income (GNI comprises the total value produced within a country (i ^[3]

Japan currently has territorial disputes with Russia over the Kuril Islands (Northern Territories), with South Korea over Liancourt Rocks (known as "Dokdo" in Korea, "Takeshima" in Japan), with China and Taiwan over the Senkaku Islands and with China over the status of Okinotorishima. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Kuril Island dispute ( Russian: Проблема принадлежности Курильских островов Japanese: 北方領土問題 Hoppō South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. is an Atoll, which in English has multiple designations ( Okinotori Coral reefs, Okinotori Islands) These disputes are in part about the control of marine and natural resources, such as possible reserves of crude oil and natural gas. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane,

In recent years, Japan has an ongoing dispute with North Korea over its abduction of Japanese citizens and nuclear weapons program. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, The North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens from Japan by agents of the North Korean government happened during a period of six years from 1977 to 1983 North Korea claims to possess Nuclear weapons and the CIA asserts that it has a substantial arsenal of Chemical weapons.

References

• This article contains material from the Library of Congress Country Studies, which are United States government publications in the public domain. The Country Studies are works published by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress ( USA) freely available for use by researchers The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone - Japan

1. ^ "Japanese Civil Code", Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 14 May 2006.
2. ^ DPJ leader Ozawa hands in resignation over grand coalition controversy - Japan News Review
3. ^ Net Official Development Assistance In 2004PDF (32. 9 KiB), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 11 April 2005. A kibibyte (a contraction of ki lo bi nary byte) is a unit of Information or Computer storage, established by the International Retrieved 14 May 2006.

External links

• Electronic journal of contemporary japanese studies
• Discussions on current Japanese politics
• The Japan Considered Project (Univ. of S. Carolina)