Characteristics of Policy Making under the Coalition Government Transformation of the LDP Power Structure

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The 'political reforms' introduced in 1993 brought two mutually contradictory trends into Japanese politics through weakening the power of factions within the Liberal Democratic Party. While they have strengthened the leadership of the LDP top executives, they have strengthened the autonomy of individual Dietmembers vis-a-vis the LDP top leadership. It is difficult to predict which trend would eventually be predominant in the future. The two factors are important that would determine the future power structure. One is whether or not the LDP needs support of Komeito in order to remain in power. If the coalition is indispensable, the party leadership would maintain strong control over the handling the policy making. The other factor is populism which has repeatedly emerged since the mid-seventies. The prominent populist leaders are, among others, Morihiro Hosokawa, Naoto Kan, Ryutaro Hashimoto, Koichi Kato and Jun'ichiro Koizumi. The core of their support base is urban middle class, particularly the house wives and young white collar workers. With their support, these populist leaders have embarked ambitious reform attempts on the basis of neo-liberal prescriptions. The survival of these politicians depend on the success or failure of these reforms. In the long run, it would also determine the power structure of the LDP and of Japanese politics in general.