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

1. 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.

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Hatoyama Ichiro

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Kishi’s blunt style Prime minister in 1957 Accused of war-crimes Political agenda: new constitution Promoting 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

12. Kishi Nobusuke

13. 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

14. Ikeda Hayato and Sato Eisaku

15. 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 Minamata http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihFkyPv1jtU&feature=fvw 東大闘争 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YondPP9pO0s

16. 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

17. Tanaka Kakuei

18. 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 Politics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5ch39IvJBc&feature=related

19. 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

20. 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 Yoshida close with US: ‘unsinkable battleship’

21. Nakasone Yasuhiro

22. 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 Showa http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8D15iezQQU

23. Takeshita Noboru

24. Summary • Money politics • Factional tensions • Strength and weakness of the LDP