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| = Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) = | = Liberal Democratic Party = |
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| The '''Liberal Democratic Party (自由民主党)''' is the dominant political power of modern Japan. | The '''Liberal Democratic Party''' ('''LDP''') (''自由民主党'') is a [[Japan/PoliticalParties|political party]] in [[Japan/Democratization|Japan]]. |
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| == Formation == | == Platform == |
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| == Government == | The LDP is a center-right party. One motivation for it's founding was to counter the [[Japan/SocialDemocraticParty|JSP]]. Some factions within the party are notably nationalist or revanchist. |
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| The [[Japan/JapanSocialistParty|JSP]] served as the opposition throughout. | However, it has effectively been a factional big tent party for most of modern Japanese democracy. There are few coherent policies that actually constitute a party-wide platform. |
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| == First Loss of Power == === 1993 General Election === In the August 1993 general election, in the context of the stagflating economy and the Recruit scandal, the LDP lost enough seats for a grand coalition government to form. '''Morihiro Hosokawa (細川 護煕)''' led this government for 8 months, following which '''Tsutomu Hata (羽田 孜)''' led for 2 months. |
== History == |
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| === Coalition Government === | === Formation === |
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| The government fell in June when the LDP and the JSP joined to form a new coalition. JSP chairman '''Tomiichi Murayama (村山 富市)''' served as prime minister for 2 years. The coalition was highly unpopular among leftist voters, leading to a ruinous loss of seats in the 1995 House of Councillors election and the subsequent October 1996 general elections. Murayama resigned in January 1996, handing power back to the LDP under '''Ryutaro Hashimoto (橋本 龍太郎)'''. | The LDP formed in 1955 as a merger between the '''Liberal Party''' (''自由党'') and the '''Japan Democratic Party''' (''日本民主党''). |
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| After the 1996 general election, the JSP was dropped from the coalition entirely. With the [[Japan/NewFrontierParty|New Frontier Party]] now serving as the opposition, the JSP entered a decline from which they have never recovered. | LDP politicians made extensive use of '''koenkai''' (''後援会'') for campaign finance and voter mobilization. LDP leadership would attempt to subsume these organizations multiple times, but early attempts failed due to factionalism. Over time koenkai became vertically-integrated political machines, especially within the LDP. === Government === The [[Japan/JapanSocialistParty|Japan Socialist Party]] served as the opposition throughout. === First Loss of Power === In the [[Japan/1993GeneralElections|1993 elections]], in the context of the stagflating economy and the '''Recruit scandal''', the LDP lost enough seats for a grand coalition government to form. [[Japan/MorihiroHosokawa|Hosokawa]] led this government for 8 months, following which [[Japan/TsutomuHata|Hata]] led for 2 months. The government fell in June when the LDP, JSP, and [[Japan/NewPartySakigake|New Party Sakigake]] joined to form a new coalition. [[Japan/TomiichiMurayama|Murayama]] served as prime minister for 2 years, then handed power back to the LDP under [[Japan/RyuutarouHashimoto|Hashimoto]]. The coalition then devolved into a confidence and supply agreement. The remaining grand coalition members consolidated into the [[Japan/NewFrontierParty|New Frontier Party]] and served as the opposition. Hashimoto hoped to regain control of the House of Councilors as well in the [[Japan/1998HouseOfCouncillorsElections|1998 elections]]. Instead the LDP lost seats, and Hashimoto resigned. === First Return to Power === [[Japan/KeizouObuchi|Obuchi]] formed a coalition government with the [[Japan/LiberalParty1998|Liberal Party]] in January 1999. In October, [[Japan/Komeito|Komeito]] joined as well. Obuchi died in office and [[Japan/YoshirouMori|Mori]] became prime minister. The Mori government was plagued by scandals while a reformist faction was ascendent within the party. The '''YKK faction''', composed of [[Japan/JunichiroKoizumi|Koizumi]], Koichi Kato (加藤 紘一), and Taku Yamasaki (山崎 拓), were serious contenders in the leadership contests of 1999 and 2000. The latter two gambled on a doomed vote of no confidence, but Koizumi was well positioned for the leadership contest following Mori's resignation. Koizumi ushered in a new era of popularity for the LDP, and resigned at the end of his party leadership term. [[Japan/ShinzoAbe|Abe]] became prime minister after Koizumi. In the context of deteriorating health and losing the majority in the [[Japan/2007HouseOfCouncillorsElections|2007 elections]], he resigned in September. === Second Loss of Power === === Second Return to Power === |
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| == First Return to Power == === Coalition Leadership === Prime Minister Hashimoto led the coalition government going into the 1996 general election. The JSP was dropped from the coalition, to be replaced by . In 1999, [[Japan/Komeito|Komeito]] join the coalition as well. '''Keizo Obuchi (小渕 恵三)''' won the next leadership contest in 1998, but died just 2 years into his term. '''Yoshiro Mori (森 喜朗)''' succeeded him. His government was marred by scandals, innumerable gaffes, and mass unpopularity. While narrowly surviving a leadership coup in November 2000, he was forced to resign in April 2001. Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka (野中 廣務), who was largely responsible for quashing the coup, as well as the coup leaders, Koichi Kato (加藤 紘一) and Taku Yamasaki (山崎 拓), suffered reputational damage from the affair. === Koizumi Era === When the LDP lost power in 1994, a reformist faction called Shinseiki of the LDP formed. They rapidly gained influence during the Mori government. While Kato and Yamasaki gambled (and lost) on a leadership coup in 2000, the movement was well positioned for the April 2001 leadership contest. '''Junichiro Koizumi (小泉 純一郎)''' defeated former prime minister Hashimoto overwhelmingly. His initiatives were more popular among voters than among the LDP majority in the Diet. In 2005, Koizumi began pushing for the privatization and breakup of Japan Post (日本郵政公社). While the threat of calling a snap election successfully whipped the House of Representatives, the House of Councilors saw a rebellion. Koizumi announced that the bill's vote would be recognized as a vote of no confidence. 30 members of the LDP abstained, and the Diet was dissolved in August. ''(See [[Japan/Diet]] for notes on the structure of Japan's legislature.)'' In the September 2005 general election, the LDP won an outright majority; the coalition government held a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives. The Japan Post reforms passed in 2007. ---- == Second Loss of Power == ---- == Second Return to Power == |
== Leaders == |
Liberal Democratic Party
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (自由民主党) is a political party in Japan.
Contents
Platform
The LDP is a center-right party. One motivation for it's founding was to counter the JSP. Some factions within the party are notably nationalist or revanchist.
However, it has effectively been a factional big tent party for most of modern Japanese democracy. There are few coherent policies that actually constitute a party-wide platform.
History
Formation
The LDP formed in 1955 as a merger between the Liberal Party (自由党) and the Japan Democratic Party (日本民主党).
LDP politicians made extensive use of koenkai (後援会) for campaign finance and voter mobilization. LDP leadership would attempt to subsume these organizations multiple times, but early attempts failed due to factionalism. Over time koenkai became vertically-integrated political machines, especially within the LDP.
Government
The Japan Socialist Party served as the opposition throughout.
First Loss of Power
In the 1993 elections, in the context of the stagflating economy and the Recruit scandal, the LDP lost enough seats for a grand coalition government to form. Hosokawa led this government for 8 months, following which Hata led for 2 months.
The government fell in June when the LDP, JSP, and New Party Sakigake joined to form a new coalition. Murayama served as prime minister for 2 years, then handed power back to the LDP under Hashimoto. The coalition then devolved into a confidence and supply agreement.
The remaining grand coalition members consolidated into the New Frontier Party and served as the opposition.
Hashimoto hoped to regain control of the House of Councilors as well in the 1998 elections. Instead the LDP lost seats, and Hashimoto resigned.
First Return to Power
Obuchi formed a coalition government with the Liberal Party in January 1999. In October, Komeito joined as well. Obuchi died in office and Mori became prime minister.
The Mori government was plagued by scandals while a reformist faction was ascendent within the party. The YKK faction, composed of Koizumi, Koichi Kato (加藤 紘一), and Taku Yamasaki (山崎 拓), were serious contenders in the leadership contests of 1999 and 2000. The latter two gambled on a doomed vote of no confidence, but Koizumi was well positioned for the leadership contest following Mori's resignation.
Koizumi ushered in a new era of popularity for the LDP, and resigned at the end of his party leadership term.
Abe became prime minister after Koizumi. In the context of deteriorating health and losing the majority in the 2007 elections, he resigned in September.
Second Loss of Power
Second Return to Power