Deciphering Japanese politics

Abstract

The fascinating political history of Japan in the 1990s seems to demonstrate with some clarity that the path to reform is strewn with obstacles, and those taking the path are smitten with palsy, says J.A.A. Stockwin, Nissan Professor of Modern Japanese Studies at the University of Oxford. Stockwin argues that it is much too early to say that genuine reform of the Japanese political system is under way. He outlines several explanations for this systemic conservatism, noting that interventionist government and communal values are longstanding aspects of the Japanese political culture. In the course of his analysis, Stockwin provides a survey of recent and not‐so‐recent literature on the subject.