The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan: Its Organization and Decision Making Process
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Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Master's Theses Graduate College 12-1995 The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan: Its Organization and Decision Making Process Hiroyuki Ikeba Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses Part of the Political Science Commons Recommended Citation Ikeba, Hiroyuki, "The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan: Its Organization and Decision Making Process" (1995). Master's Theses. 5010. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/5010 This Masters Thesis-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE LIBERALDEMOCRATIC PARTYOF JAPAN: ITS ORGANIZATION AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS by Hiroyuki Ikeba A Thesis Submitted to the F acuity of The Graduate Collage in partial fulfillmentof the requirements forthe Degree of Master of Arts Department of Political Science WesternMichigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan December 1995 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A number of people have been instrumental in bringing this thesis to a successful conclusion. I would like to thank Dr. Lawrence Ziring, the chairman of the committee, forhis invaluable inspiration and guidance. I would also like to thank the other members of my committee, Dr. Peter Renstrom and Dr. Kenneth Dahlberg, for their advice and assistance. Special appreciation is given to the Japanese Diet persons whom I interviewed. Those include: Takashi Kawamura, lwao Matsuda, Kabun Mutou, Seiko Noda, Akira Ohno, and Yasuoki Drano. The three hour interview with Diet person Urano, the Director General of the Science and Technology Agency, provided me with much valuable information on Japanese politics and government. Finally, I should like to thank Dr. Michael Nicholson forhis editorial advice and assistance. Hiroyuki Ikeba 11 THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN: ITS ORGANIZATION AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS Hiroyuki Ikeba, M. A Western Michigan University, 1995 This study analyzes the behavior of the politicians of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) and the decision making process of the LDP. This study draws heavily on Japanese language sources as well as interviews with leading Japanese Diet persons. The characteristics of Japanese culture are explained by introducing the works of three scholars. They are: Ruth Benedict, Chie Nakane, and Takeo Doi. It was discovered that the relationships among LDP Diet persons and between supporters and Diet persons are based on traditional societal norms. Furthermore, it was found that the decision making process of the LDP was in harmony with the most significantJapanese cultural value--harmony. Because the organizational basis of the LDP, the factions, and the koenkai(personal support groups) are sustained by the behaviors of the LDP politicians and supporters, these informal organizations gave the LDP its organizational strength. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................ ii LIST OF TABLES ........................ , . .. .. .. .. .. .. VI LIST OF FIGURES ................................................ vn CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 The Significance ofthe Study ofthe Liberal Democratic Party of Japan . 1 The Emergence ofthe LDP and Its Philosophy .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 The Occupation Period and the Conservatives .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 The Emergence ofthe LDP and Its Philosophy .. .. .. .. .. 7 LDP Dominance .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 Theme and Questions ...................................... 12 II. A BIBLIOGRAPHIC REVIEW OF JAPANESE CULTURE AND LDP POLITICS .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 14 Importance ofthe Study ofCulture . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 14 The Work ofRuth Benedict and Behaviors ofLDP Politicians ....... 17 The Work ofChie Nakane and the Organization ofthe LDP ......... 25 The Work ofTakeo Doi and Relationships Among Japanese Parties ... 35 Conclusion . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 41 III. LDP DIET PERSONS AND DECISION MAKING ORGANIZATIONS OF THE LDP ................................ 43 lll Table of Contents-Continued CHAPTER Introduction . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 43 LDP Diet Persons . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 44 The Decision Making Organizations I .......................... 52 The Decision Making Organization II (Executive Council) .......... 57 The Decision Making Organization III (Political AffairsResearch Council) . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 62 The Roles of the President, the Secretary General, and Informal Leaders Meetings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 64 I: The President .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 65 II: The Secretary General ............................... 70 III: Informal Leaders' Meetings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 73 Conclusion .............................................. 75 IV. THEBUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE LDP . .. .. .. .. .. .. 77 Introduction . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 77 The Business Community .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 79 The Communications Between the Business Community and the LDP . 82 Zoku Diet Persons .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 87 Spending Practices of the LDP ............................... 96 Funding Sources of the LDP Diet Persons . .. .. .. .. .. .. I 03 Conclusion . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 108 lV Table of Contents-Continued CHAPTER V. THEFACTIONS AND THEKOENKAI 110 Introduction . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 110 The Factions 110 The Structural Changes of the Factions ....................... 111 The Functions of the Factions ............................... 114 The Koenkaiand Its Origin . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 124 Structure of the Koenkai .................................. 126 KoenkaiActivities ....................................... 127 Conclusion . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 131 VI. CONCLUSION . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 132 Summary .............................................. 132 The Current Situation and the Future of the LDP ................ 139 The Realignment of 1993 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 140 Political Expectations of the People .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 146 The Future of the LDP ................................ 147 GLOSSARY .................................................... 151 APPENDIX A. Human Subjects Institutional Review Board Approval .. .. .. .. 153 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................ 155 V LIST OF TABLES 1. Party Support by Occupation, 1989 . 78 2. Distribution of Seats by Partyin the Lower House . 144 VI LIST OF FIGURES 1. Hierarchical Structure of a Japanese Group . .. .. .. .. .. 25 2. The Relationship Between Oyabun and Kobun .. ...................... 28 3. Top Executives of the LDP ...................................... 57 4. Informal Meetings of the LDP Top Leaders ......................... 75 5. Development of the Factions, 1955-95 ............................ 112 Vll CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The Significance of the Study of the Liberal Democratic Party ofJapan Japanese politics has oftenbeen said to be difficult to understand. Undoubtedly, this impression was a byproduct ofthe complexity ofthe Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) government. The LDP has been deeply involved in Japan's policy making process for about 40 years. Although the one party rule by the LDP collapsed in 1993, it is important to study LDP politics for the following two reasons. First, the LDP is still the most influential party within the current Murayama administration. Thirteen out of 20 ministerial positions are held by the LDP. In addition, LDP Diet persons are the largest forcein the parliament. As of 1995, 206 out of506 Diet persons in the lower house were fromthe LDP, while 95 out of252 Diet persons in the upper house were fromthe LDP. Second, LDP politics tend to be described as complex, opaque, and unique. However, these characteristics have not been clearly explained (Nakano, 1993). This study will clarify the unique characteristics of LDP politics which have not changed since the formation of the LDP in 195 5. Before explaining the theme of this study, the philosophy of the LDP will be examined as well as how the LDP maintained its rule. 1 2 The Emergence of the LDP and Its Philosophy The Occupation Period and the Conservatives Beforediscussing the LDP, it is necessary to explain how conservative politicians survived the dramatic socioeconomic changes during the occupation period following World War II. In September 1945, the Japanese government formallysurrendered to the allied forcesthereby ending World War II. General Douglas MacArthur was appointed as the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) to act as the agent of the United States in Japan. The Allied Powers ruled Japan from 1945 to 1952 when the Treaty of Peace at San Francisco formallyended the occupation. The policies of SCAP consisted of two goals: the demilitarization and democratization of Japan. Demilitarization was a simple problem compared with democratization. It involved the conversion of Japan's arms-making capacity to peaceful uses and the repatriation of Japanese military personnel from other countries. All these tasks were accomplished by the end of 1948. In addition, Article 9, the so-called peace clause, was written into Japan's new constitution. It renounced war and denied the nation's right to use force as a means of settling international disputes. This article has been effective in applying constraints on the growth