The Decline of Particularism in Japanese Politics

• Published in: Journal of East Asian studies 2010, 10(2), 27, pp.239-273
• Main Author: Noble, Gregory W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; Agriculture; Air pollution; Analysis; Appropriations; Appropriations and expenditures; Bridges; Budget, Government; Budgets; Cold War; East Asian politics; Elections; Electoral reform; Expenditures; Foreign Aid; Foreign investment; Government and politics; Government budgets; Government spending; Government spending policy; Incentives; Japan; Liberal democratic parties; Local government; Particularism; Partisanship; Patronage; Political leadership; Political particularism; Political parties; Political reform; Politicians; Politics; Post Cold War Period; Prime ministers; Public infrastructure; Public works; Rural areas; Satellite television; Science and Technology; Social Welfare; Voters; 지역학
• ISSN: 1598-2408; 2234-6643
• DOI: 10.1017/S1598240800003453

Particularistic spending has played a storied role in Japanese politics, but during the last decade of LDP rule, expenditures on roads, bridges, agricultural projects, and the like steadily lost ground to more programmatic outlays on social welfare, science and technology, and public order (but not defense or foreign aid). Prime Minister Koizumi played an important role in this shift, but the trends preceded him and continued under his much weaker successors. The end of the Cold War, increasing foreign investment, and the weakness of the domestic economy probably played mostly minor roles in the decline of particularism. The aging of Japanese society, not least in rural areas, created direct pressure for programmatic spending, while partisan upheaval, the growing share of floating voters, and reforms to the electoral and administrative systems created both an incentive and a greater capacity to redirect attention to the concerns of median voters.