The Contemporary Japan Group at the Institute of Social Science (ISS, or Shaken), University of Tokyo, welcomes you to a lecture by Ellis S. Krauss, Professor at the School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, University of California San Diego, on

Abe's Political Challenges: Myths and Realities

Tuesday, October 15th 7:00-8:30 p.m. at Akamon Sōgō Kenkyutō Room 549, Institute of Social Science, University of Tokyo, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo.

ABSTRACT

Why despite having a parliamentary system doesn’t Japan’s political and policy processes resemble a “Westminster” system like the U.K.’s? After Koizumi’s
2005 election victory many expected that Japan would now move toward a Westminster system model of relatively stable prime ministerial leadership and “top-down” policymaking . Instead it has had 6 prime ministers who lasted less than a year. With Abe’s and the LDP’s great majorities in the 2012 House of Representatives and 2013 House of Councilors elections, once again the hope or fear is that strong prime ministerial “top down” policymaking has arrived in Japan. But will it actually happen that way? Krauss will argue that the answers to all these puzzles and questions are related: electoral and administrative reform and Koizumi accomplished only partially what Japan would need to become a “Westminster”
parliamentary democracy. Although Abe has some advantages previous prime ministers have not had, he will confront many of the formal and informal institutional obstacles to real “cabinet government” in Japan that still exist.

SPEAKER

Ellis Krauss is a Professor at the School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, University of California San Diego. He received his Ph.D. from Stanford University (1973). An expert on postwar Japanese politics and on U.S.-Japan relations, He has published a coauthored book with Robert Pekkanen (U. of
Washington) about the development of Japan’s long-time ruling party, The Rise and Fall of Japan’s LDP:
Political Party Organizations as Historical Institutions (Cornell University Press 2011). He and Pekkanen also now have begun a book project on political leadership in postwar Japan. One of his other authored and edited books is Beyond Bilateralism:
U.S.-Japan Relations in the New Asia-Pacific (co-edited with T.J. Pempel; Stanford University Press 2004). He has published numerous articles in professional political science and Asian Studies journals, including The American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Japanese Studies, Journal of East Asian Studies and others.

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
Institute of Social Science
University of Tokyo
Email: noble[at]iss.u-tokyo.ac.jp