The Contemporary Japan Group at the Institute of Social Science (ISS, or Shaken), University of Tokyo, welcomes you to a lecture by　Steven R. Reed, Professor of modern government, Chuo University, on

The 2012 General Election: What Happened and What Does it Portend?

Friday, December 21, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Akamon Sōgō Kenkyūtō Room 549, Institute of Social Science, University of Tokyo, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo.

ABSTRACT

I will first give a short overview of the events that led to this election and the choice sets available to Japanese voters. I will then attempt to put the 2012 election into both historical and comparative context.
I will say something (depending upon the outcome) about the future of Japan’s two-party system and of each of the major parties. I hope to leave plenty of time for questions. (Please note that I do not study policy so questions about the policy implications of this election should be directed to someone else.)

SPEAKER

Steven R. Reed is Professor of Modern Government at Chuo University in Japan, where all of his classes are taught in Japanese. His major areas of research are parties, elections, electoral systems, and Japanese politics. He recently co-edited Political Change in
Japan:
Electoral Behavior, Party Realignment, and the Koizumi Reforms (Brookings, 2009) with Kenneth Mori McElwain and Kay Shimizu. He has published in The British Journal of Political Science, The American Journal of Political Science, The Journal of Japanese Studies, Comparative Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Party Politics, Electoral Studies and several Japanese journals.

Contemporary Japan Group:
The ISS Contemporary Japan Group provides English-speaking residents of the Tokyo area with an opportunity to hear cutting-edge research in social science and related policy issues, as well as a venue for researchers and professionals in or visiting Tokyo to present and receive knowledgeable feedback on their latest research projects.
Admission is free and advance registration is not required. Everyone is welcome.

For more information, please visit our website:
http://web.iss.u-tokyo.ac.jp/cjg/
or contact
Gregory W. NOBLE (noble[at]iss.u-tokyo.ac.jp) ISHIDA Hiroshi (ishida[at]iss.u-tokyo.ac.jp)