Japan in de houdgreep van de LDP: Chronologie van een conservatieve groei

‘Without belittling Japan’s many genuine successes, it is important to keep in mind the costs of these successes, and the fact that these costs were by no means borne evenly by all of

Japanese society.’

T.J. Pempel, Policy and Politics in Japan, Creative Conservatism, p. 312.

Independent but tied

1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty and Military Security Agreement

Signed with 48 non-communist nations

Gave up claims on the Koeril islands but treaty failed to define where the islands were situated

日米安全保障条約

Troops could remain in Japan US maintained grip on Japanese policy Importance of Japan in Cold War

undermined real independence Result: rage of the political left and

massive protest actions Still today the position towards the

presence of the US army is a major issue in the Socialist party

Politics after 1952

Conservatives want to change constitution as fast as possible

Elections in 1953: victory for the Socialists and defeat for Yoshida’s 自由党

Debate of Constitutional change proved more difficult than anticipated: real guard against militarism

Start of conservative rule

1954: end of Yoshida’s rule: Hatoyama ( 民主党 ) becomes prime minister: conservative who wants reverse course

Election 27-2-1955: Hatoyama fails to win majority and cannot realize wish for constitutional change

Conservative rule unifies socialists and motivates new unity of conservatives

Hatoyama Ichiro

日本社会党

Improved climate after death of Stalin ’53

Unification of left and right wing in ’55

Success in election of ’58: 166/467 seats

Hope for a real opposition but left wing becomes more radical

自由民主党

Successors of Seiyukai and Minseito were Liberals and Democrats

Financial world pressures leaders for unity out of fear for socialist rule

LDP created on November 11th 1955 Main features of this new party:

factions ( 派閥 ) remained and many bureaucrats attracted

Rational economic growth

Instauration of ‘developmental state’

Economic growth linked to Japan’s strength

Unions urged to integrate in companies, social security reduced

1955 creation of Economic Planning Agency and strength of MITI

MITI’s development

Step 1: shipbuilding and steel Step 2: car-manufacturing Step 3: high-tech industry

Mechanism of state control: Adminsitative Guidance 行政指導

Mechanism of Economic Growth: 系列

>main political discussion on duality between economic nationalism and people’s lives

Kishi’s blunt style

Prime minister in 1957Accused of war-crimesPolitical agenda:

new constitutionPromoting Japan’s independence in new security treaty (1960: 新安全保障条約 )

Massive protest forces Kishi to resign: fear for new militarism, repression and rightist terrorism

1960 protest symbol for a failure of the reform to democracy

SPJ splits into SPJ (left) and DSP (right)

安保闘争http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVP2YKywBx8&feature=related

Kishi Nobusuke

Ikeda and Sato’s consensus politics

Ikeda Hayato against confrontation Positive

double the income in ten years No constitutional reform Japan becomes second economy Olympics in 1964 ( 新幹線）

Negative Farm villages deserted Cities overcrowded Pollution Terrorism

Opposition loses power due to internal division Komeito 公明党　 created as a reaction against

intransparant LDP politics

Ikeda Hayato and Sato Eisaku

Sato Eisaku

prime minister from 1964 till 1972 Agenda: emphasis on international policy

get Okinawa back Fast Economic growth Monopoly of political power by the LDP Nobel price for peace in 1974

Reverse of the coin Elections in 1969: 31,5% failed to vote Public works to maintain support to LDP: build

everywhere Pollution in Minamata

Minamatahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihFkyPv1jtU&feature=fvw

東大闘争http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YondPP9pO0s

Tanaka: the system degenerates

角福戦争 Fukuda: like Sato for Taiwan Tanaka Kakuei: for China Tanaka leaves Sato faction with 81 Creates alliance with other candidates

who receive minister positions

Conflict between Tanaka and Fukuda also today

Tanaka Kakuei

Tanaka: money and power

International Normalization of relations with China

Domestic Reform the island ( 列島改造 ) Oil-crisis but still high spending: article on

Tanaka’s money politics

>start of a never ending series of corruption scandals in LDP: same pattern of accepting money from companies to finance election campaigns

Tanaka Kakuei: Corruption Politicshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5ch39IvJBc&feature=related

Post Tanaka: no money-no power

Miki Takeo (1974-76) Miki wanted to investigate Lockheed but lost political

power Elections ’76: LDP lost majority first since ’55

Fukuda Takeo (1976-’78) Fukuda doctrine: increased role in Asia Friendship Agreement with China in ’78 More transparence in LDP: elections of president also in

regions Ohira Masayoshi

More local autonomy Loyal to Tanaka

Suzuki Zenko Kleurloze begrotingsspecialist

Nakasone’s new nationalism

Yasuhiro Nakasone (1982-1987) ‘Tanakasone’ government Close with Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher

Agenda First rang nation Compared the constitution with artificial flowers More than 1% of GDP for defence Education: new topics of ethics and traditional

culture Visits Yasukuni

strongest leader since Yoshidaclose with US: ‘unsinkable battleship’

Nakasone Yasuhiro

The agony of the postwar system

Takeshita Noboru Consumptiontax Recruit scandal Death of the emperor Election in 1989 Higher House: left majority; Lower House:

LDP majority: Kaifu Toshiki vs Doi Takako

beginning of the end of LDP hegemony

Death of Emperor Showahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8D15iezQQU

Takeshita Noboru

Summary

Money politics Factional tensions

Strength and weakness of the LDP