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Studies of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University
The Logic of Japanese Politics
Widely recognized both in America and Japan for his insider knowledge and penetrating analyses of Japanese politics, Gerald Curtis is the political analyst best positioned to explore the complexities of the Japanese political scene today. Curtis has personally known most of the key players in Japanese politics for more than thirty years, and he draws on their candid comments to provide invaluable and graphic insights into the world of Japanese politics. By relating the behavior of Japanese political leaders to the institutions within which they must operate, Curtis makes sense out of what others have regarded as enigmatic or illogical. He utilizes his skills as a scholar and his knowledge of the inner workings of the Japanese political system to highlight the commonalities of Japanese and Western political practices while at the same time explaining what sets Japan apart.
Curtis rejects the notion that cultural distinctiveness and consensus are the defining elements of Japan's political decision making, emphasizing instead the competition among and the profound influence of individuals operating within particular institutional contexts on the development of Japan's politics. The discussions featured here―as they survey both the detailed events and the broad structures shaping the mercurial Japanese political scene of the 1990s―draw on extensive conversations with virtually all of the decade's political leaders and focus on the interactions among specific politicians as they struggle for political power.
The Logic of Japanese Politics covers such important political developments as
• the Liberal Democratic Party's egress from power in 1993, after reigning for nearly four decades, and their crushing defeat in the "voters' revolt" of the 1998 upper-house election;
• the formation of the 1993 seven party coalition government led by prime minister Morihiro Hosokawa and its collapse eight months later;
• the historic electoral reform of 1994 which replaced the electoral system operative since the adoption of universal manhood suffrage in 1925; and
• the decline of machine politics and the rise of the mutohaso ―the floating, nonparty voter.
Scrutinizing and interpreting a complex and changing political system, this multi-layered chronicle reveals the dynamics of democracy at work―Japanese-style. In the process, The Logic of Japanese Politics not only offers a fascinating picture of Japanese politics and politicians but also provides a framework for understanding Japan's attempts to surmount its present problems, and helps readers gain insight into Japan's future.
Curtis rejects the notion that cultural distinctiveness and consensus are the defining elements of Japan's political decision making, emphasizing instead the competition among and the profound influence of individuals operating within particular institutional contexts on the development of Japan's politics. The discussions featured here―as they survey both the detailed events and the broad structures shaping the mercurial Japanese political scene of the 1990s―draw on extensive conversations with virtually all of the decade's political leaders and focus on the interactions among specific politicians as they struggle for political power.
The Logic of Japanese Politics covers such important political developments as
• the Liberal Democratic Party's egress from power in 1993, after reigning for nearly four decades, and their crushing defeat in the "voters' revolt" of the 1998 upper-house election;
• the formation of the 1993 seven party coalition government led by prime minister Morihiro Hosokawa and its collapse eight months later;
• the historic electoral reform of 1994 which replaced the electoral system operative since the adoption of universal manhood suffrage in 1925; and
• the decline of machine politics and the rise of the mutohaso ―the floating, nonparty voter.
Scrutinizing and interpreting a complex and changing political system, this multi-layered chronicle reveals the dynamics of democracy at work―Japanese-style. In the process, The Logic of Japanese Politics not only offers a fascinating picture of Japanese politics and politicians but also provides a framework for understanding Japan's attempts to surmount its present problems, and helps readers gain insight into Japan's future.
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First published January 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 6, 2015
This must rank as one of the best books on Japanese politics by one of the best writers on Japanese politics.
The book narrates a strange time in Japanese politics. The 1990s were a time of turmoil and upheaval: the collapse of the "55" system, criticisms of the once lauded bureaucracy, the splintering of the LDP and the parade of new political parties. Curtis researches and explains these shifts with an expert eye, with a simultaneous focus on structure and agency. The book uses a theory of structure/agency where political actors work within a specific realm of opportunities.
As the book argued, the Japanese political landscape was characterized by cognitive dissonance: while a great number of Japanese still wanted to stick to the tired and true of the past, they were also plagued by a sense that if radical change didn’t occur disaster might eventually happen. The author calls this the politics of complacency: the public is in favor of change as long as it helps to reproduce the status quo.
Another essential thesis is that the Japanese state is refractive: “absorbing and responding to demands emanating from groups in civil society and from the electorate, but trying in the process to bend those demands into a shape that conforms as much as possible to the interest and the preferences of the managers of the state themselves” (p. 9; p. 129 ).
Even though the book is showing some age, I think it should still be on the Japan subject-matter expert's book shelf for a number of reasons: 1) it is a great model of how to do research on politics 2) it has insights on Japanese politics that will prove as relevant today 3) it's a great read, with many quotable passages.
The book narrates a strange time in Japanese politics. The 1990s were a time of turmoil and upheaval: the collapse of the "55" system, criticisms of the once lauded bureaucracy, the splintering of the LDP and the parade of new political parties. Curtis researches and explains these shifts with an expert eye, with a simultaneous focus on structure and agency. The book uses a theory of structure/agency where political actors work within a specific realm of opportunities.
As the book argued, the Japanese political landscape was characterized by cognitive dissonance: while a great number of Japanese still wanted to stick to the tired and true of the past, they were also plagued by a sense that if radical change didn’t occur disaster might eventually happen. The author calls this the politics of complacency: the public is in favor of change as long as it helps to reproduce the status quo.
Another essential thesis is that the Japanese state is refractive: “absorbing and responding to demands emanating from groups in civil society and from the electorate, but trying in the process to bend those demands into a shape that conforms as much as possible to the interest and the preferences of the managers of the state themselves” (p. 9; p. 129 ).
Even though the book is showing some age, I think it should still be on the Japan subject-matter expert's book shelf for a number of reasons: 1) it is a great model of how to do research on politics 2) it has insights on Japanese politics that will prove as relevant today 3) it's a great read, with many quotable passages.
January 16, 2016
Was surprised I haven't added this yet. I love this book because it poses a challenge to the Nihonjinron discourse in the political aspect. For one, Curtis shatters a myth about Japanese political leaders' decision-making, wherein the decision-making process is said to be underpinned by harmony and consensus, and that this cannot be merely explained by cultural distinctiveness. I love how Curtis enlightens us how Japan's political leaders are very much like our own -like acting on their individual interests- and how they affect and are affected by the institutional context they weave through.
I also like the personal touch here. Or the first hand accounts and correspondents of Curtis with the political leaders, prime ministers included.
I also like the personal touch here. Or the first hand accounts and correspondents of Curtis with the political leaders, prime ministers included.
November 23, 2019
This is an essential book for anyone who wants to learn about Japanese Politics. In spite of the title, it mainly focuses on the biggest change in post-war Japanese politics: when the LDP lost power for the first time in 1993, what, how and why happened. For that reason, it is the best book to start if you want to go deep into this fascinating topic of Japan and it's politics.
October 1, 2017
Throught this masterpiece of a book, professor Curtis enlight us on several questions of the japanese society in the 1990s. It is the pinnacle of his work and no other westerner can grasp the essence of japanese politics like he does. The book itself is quite an easy read and don't be afraid of the statistics and technical terms because they are here to illustrate his points and the japanese words are either translated or explained throughout the chapters. The structure of the chapters themselves is very clear and concise and you won't get lost in his arguments. Althought the book is almost 20 years old (published in 1999), it still remains a reference in japanese political science and a very solid starting point for those who wish to explore more in-depth the subject.
February 4, 2015
a good book to read if you are interested in Japan. this book covers many different aspects that affect Japanese politics like religious culture and even language. it does get dry form time to time but I still say this one is very useful if you are studying Japan, even if this book is a bit outdated. plus, Mr. Curtis is high up on the academic food chain with a very prolific profile, time studying and researching in Japan AND even personal relationships with Japanese politicians. I ended up ordering my own copy from Amazon. most likely infinitely boring to anyone else.
March 30, 2008
As dry as a technical manual, but pretty indepth. Does not mention any logic related to naming anime characters as cultural ambassadors.
January 20, 2012
Asian Studies
May 29, 2014
Only read it for a college course. Otherwise the conclusions are mundane and the reading itself almost torture.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews