Theoretical and Empirical Analyses of the Impacts of Political Reform : Elections, Political Funds, and Legislative Process

1. 为了分析近年来议员议案的增加情况，我创建了一个计算机可读的数据文件，其中包含1947年至1998年期间所有议员议案的党派归属、提交日期、提交委员会、委员会和议会投票日期、投票结果、颁布日期等等。我对50年代以后议员法案的减少进行了定量研究，并对1955年国会法的修改过程进行了仔细的审查，使法案的提交变得更加困难。与公认的认为修正案是议员提案减少的主要原因的理论相反，我发现主要政党内部制定的限制提交的非正式规则更有效地导致了议员提案的减少。利用我参与的政治资金调查项目收集的数据，我第一次对政治资金对选举结果的影响进行了全面的分析。我收集了政府和47个县发布的关于政治筹款组织和政党的收支的官方报告。我还收集了2000年大选的选举结果和47个县的候选人竞选支出的官方报告。我将这些数据结合起来，创建了一个计算机可读的数据文件，其中包含了300个单一选区的候选人。利用这个数据文件，我将分析政治改革对政党、候选人和选民行为的影响，即党派合作、选举资金和战略投票。

1. In order to analyze the increase in member bills in recent years, I created a computer-readable data file that contains partisan affiliation of submitters, date of submission, a committee submitted, dates of vote in a committee and on the floor, results of vote, date of enactment, and so on, for all member bills during the period 1947-1998.2. I conducted quantitative research into the decline in member bills after the 1950s and scrutinized the revision process of the Diet Law in 1955 that made bill submission more difficult. In contrast with the accepted theory that asserts the revision was the main cause of the decline in member bills, I found that informal rules created within major parties to restrict submission were more effective in bringing about the decline.3. Utilizing the data collected by political fund investigation project in which I participated, I conducted the first comprehensive analysis of the impact of political money on electoral results.4. I collected official reports on revenues and expenses of political fundraising organizations and parties issued by the government and 47 prefectures. I also collected the electoral results of the 2000 general election and official reports on campaign expenditure of candidates issued by 47 prefectures.5. I combined these data to create a computer-readable data file of candidates in 300 single-member districts. Utilizing this data file, I will analyze the impact of political reform on the behavior of parties, candidates, and voters, i.e., partisan cooperation, money in elections, and strategic voting.