American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences ISSN (E): 2832-8019 Volume 12, | May, 2023 P a g e | 148 www.americanjournal.org ACTIVITY OF MODERN POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE JAPANESE ELECTORAL SYSTEM Alieva Makhliyo Master Student of the Direction “Applied Political Science” University of World Economy and Diplomacy. Mail: max971018@gmail.com A B S T R A C T K E Y W O R D S This article discusses modern political parties in Japan and their activities. Also, politics of Japan are conducted in a framework of a dominant-party bicameral parliamentary constitutional monarchy, in which the Emperor is the head of state and the Prime Minister is the head of government and the head of the Cabinet, which directs the executive branch. Legislative power is vested in the National Diet, which consists of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. The House of Representatives has eighteen standing committees ranging in size from 20 to 50 members and The House of Councillors has sixteen ranging from 10 to 45 members. Judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court and lower courts, and sovereignty is vested in the people of Japan by the 1947 Constitution, which was written during the Occupation of Japan primarily by American officials and had replaced the previous Meiji Constitution. Japan is considered a constitutional monarchy with a system of civil law. Japanese parties, Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP), Meiji Constitution, House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, party functionality, cabinet system. INTRODUCTION What is a political party? A political party is a political organization of a size that satisfies certain conditions within a political organization in which people who share the same political ideals and policies gather and work to realize their doctrines and claims.In addition, as in Japan today, the system in which politicians act centered on political parties and operate politics based on political parties is called "party politics."The leader of the political party that holds the majority of seats in the Diet is nominated by the Prime Minister to form the Cabinet. The political party that forms a cabinet or takes charge of the government is called the ruling party, and the party that does not participate in the government is called the opposition party. Conditions for being a political party In order to be recognized as a "political party" in the Diet, one of the following two conditions must be met according to the Public Offices Election Law. • 5 or more members of parliament • received more than 2% of the vote in the most recent national election American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences Volume 12, May, 2023 P a g e | 149 www.americanjournal.org Anything that does not meet this requirement is not recognized as a "political party" and is considered a "political organization". If you are recognized as a political party, you can receive political party subsidies from the country and receive group donations. Japanese political party Let's take a look at Japanese political parties. Based on the standards of the Public Offices Election Law mentioned above, the currently recognized political parties (as of January 2020) and their main principles are as follows. 1. Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) The Liberal Democratic Party is the largest political party in Japan in terms of the number of Diet members, and is also the ruling party. The number of Diet members is 284 in the House of Representatives (out of a total of 465 seats) (party group: Liberal Democratic Party, Independent Association) and 113 seats in the House of Councillors (out of a total of 245 seats) (party group: Liberal Democratic Party, People's Voice). occupy. Since its formation in 1955, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has been in power for more than 60 years. It has consistently been responsible for the management of the Japanese government after the war. At that time (1955), the two-party system with the Socialist Party (a state in which two major political parties occupy most of the seats) was called the so-called '55 system', and the Liberal Democratic Party recognized the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and the Self-Defense Forces. Conservative and anti-social parties are now called liberals. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) continues to advocate constitutional revision as part of its motto (purpose).The important point of this constitutional amendment is the amendment of Article 9.In the background of trying to revise Article 9 of the Constitution, there is an aim to specify that the Self-Defense Forces are constitutional in order to realize Japan's independence. In addition, we have announced a "People's Party" that will be responsible for politics for the whole nation, not just for the interests of a part of the country. Economic growth (increase corporate profits and encourage consumers to consume) Enhancing social welfare (preventing people from falling into extreme poverty due to illness or injury) Educational reform (lowering the burden of educational expenses) and other policies. The current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe overtook Eisaku Sato to become the LDP's longest serving government last year. (On November 20, 2019, it overtook the Taro Katsura Cabinet before the war, and became the longest cabinet in the history of Japanese constitutional government.)1 It is said that he has a sense of stability because he has been in power for a long time. 2. Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan During the 48th general election of the House of Representatives in October 2017, it is one of the political parties formed by the then-Democratic Party split into two. When the then-Democratic Party announced that it would merge with the Party of Hope led by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan was created by legislators led by Yukio Edano, who opposed it due to inconsistent policy lines.There are 58 members of the House of Representatives and 33 members of the House of Councilors, for a total of 92 members (as of 1 "Shinzo Abe gains big victory in Japan election". Financial Times. 22 October 2017 American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences Volume 12, May, 2023 P a g e | 150 www.americanjournal.org December 2019). As the party's name suggests, the party's policy is to cherish constitutionalism (performing politics based on the constitution). I'm taking the stance that I'm opposed to the constitutional amendment in the middle of the day. • As policies and guidelines • We do not allow the Self-Defense Forces to be specified in the constitution. • Solving the problem of children on waiting lists and etc. 3. Democratic Party for the People It is another political party that split from the Democratic Party during the 2017 House of Representatives election.It merged with the Party of Hope to form the Democratic Party for the People.There are 60 members in total, 38 members of the House of Representatives and 22 members of the House of Councilors.Under the leadership of Yuichiro Tamaki, there was discussion about rejoining the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), but no agreement could be reached on the name of the party as the Democratic Party of Japan and a merger on equal terms.As a policy, the Democratic Party for the People has announced a middle-of-the-road reform political party, aiming for a symbiotic society where people can enjoy "raising children, working, and living" from the perspective of "consumers, taxpayers, consumers, and workers." • in particular • reduction in working hours • child allowance • Rent subsidy • policies such as 4. New Komeito Since 1999, Komeito has been in a coalition government with the Liberal Democratic Party, with the exception of the period when the Liberal Democratic Party was out of power.There are 57 Diet members belonging to the New Komeito Party, including 29 members of the House of Representatives and 28 members of the House of Councillors. As a policy of the Komeito Party, Enhancement of social welfare such as reduction of educational burden Measures aimed at pursuing the happiness of human beings and mankind under the slogan of the "Peace Party" (making disaster prevention and mitigation, and building peaceful relationships with other countries the main issues) And so on. Komeito is a political party with a long history, having been formed in 1964. It is a political party that has a wide range of organizations, including local assemblies. 5. Japan Restoration Party It was active as a local political party based on the "Osaka Restoration Party", which was formed in 2010 by Toru Hashimoto, who was the governor of Osaka at the time, and promoted the Osaka metropolitan plan. We will advance into national politics in the election. After changing its name several times, it became the Japan Restoration Party in 2016. Although there are areas in the Kansai region such as Osaka and Hyogo that have strong support, nationwide spread is an issue. There are 26 members of the Diet, 10 members of the House of Representatives and 16 members of the House of Councilors (as of January 2020). American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences Volume 12, May, 2023 P a g e | 151 www.americanjournal.org Japan Restoration Party Like the Liberal Democratic Party, it takes a position in favor of constitutional revision. • Free education up to university • Osaka metropolitan plan • And other distinctive policies. 6. Japanese Communist Party The Japanese Communist Party is a political party with a long history since its establishment in 1922 (it was outlawed by the government before the war). There are 25 members of the Diet, 12 in the House of Representatives and 13 in the House of Councillors. The Communist Party is a political party that directly opposes the Liberal Democratic Party. In policies and guidelines Consistent Opposition to Constitutional Reform and Japan-U.S. Security Treaty Since the inauguration of the Abe Cabinet, he has strongly opposed the security legislation and the Okinawa Henoko base relocation issue. Abolish nuclear power plants and use natural energy The above are some examples. The Japanese Communist Party is also a political party that has an organization that extends to rural areas in its long history. 7. Social Democrats The Social Democratic Party was formed in 1996 after renaming its predecessor, the Japan Socialist Party. In the 1955 system, the party played a role in the two-party system with the Liberal Democratic Party, but the number of members of the Diet is now a small force with two members of the House of Representatives and two members of the House of Councillors, a total of four members. • as policies and guidelines • Self-Defense Force reduction • Opposition to raising consumption tax • Opposition to revision of Article 9 of the Constitution • And so on, the social democratic party will also be a political party in the direction of conflict with the liberal democratic party. 8. Party to protect the people from NHK In 2013, it was established as a political party with one purpose: to scramble NHK broadcasts (that is, only those who paid the reception fee can watch them). In the 2019 House of Councilors election, representative Takashi Tachibana entered national politics, and currently has one member of the House of Representatives and one member of the House of Councilors. 9. Reiwa Shinsengumi A political party founded in April 2019 by Taro Yamamoto. In the July 2019 House of Councilors election, the party met the requirements for a political party with more than 2% of the vote, and two candidates were elected from the nationwide proportional representation. American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences Volume 12, May, 2023 P a g e | 152 www.americanjournal.org As a policy, • Abolition of consumption tax, • Introduction of progressive taxation to corporate tax (a system in which tax to be paid increases as income increases) • Advocating the immediate abolition of nuclear power plants • Abolition of the Legislation for Peace and Security, etc., which was adopted by the Abe Cabinet2 CONCLUSION In conclusion, it should be noted that, several political parties exist in Japan. However, the politics of Japan have primarily been dominated by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since 1955, with the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) playing an important role as the opposition several times. The DPJ was the ruling party from 2009 to 2012 with the LDP as the opposition. The LDP was the ruling party for decades since 1955, despite the existence of multiple parties. Most of the prime ministers (presidents of the LDP) were elected from inner factions of the LDP. Judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court and lower courts, and sovereignty is vested in the people of Japan by the 1947 Constitution, which was written during the Occupation of Japan primarily by American officials and had replaced the previous Meiji Constitution. Japan is considered a constitutional monarchy with a system of civil law.Politics in Japan in the post-war period has largely been dominated by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has been in power almost continuously since its foundation in 1955, a phenomenon known as the 1955 System. Of the 31 prime ministers since the end of the country's occupation, 24 as well as the longest serving ones have been members of the LDP.3 Consequently, Japan has been described as a de facto one-party state.4 LITERATURE 1. Philip Laundy - Parliaments in the Modern World page 109p 2. 升味準之輔 ; Masumi, Junnosuke (1985). Gendai seiji : 1955-nen igo (Shohan ed.). Tōkyō: Tōkyō Daigaku Shuppankai. 3. Heslop, D. Alan. "Political system - National political systems". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 11 June 2020. 4. “Japan as a One-Party State: The Future for Koizumi and Beyond”.www.wilsoncenter.org.Wilson Center. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2023. 5. "Shinzo Abe gains big victory in Japan election". Financial Times. 22 October 2017 2 Heslop, D. Alan. "Political system - National political systems". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 11 June 2020. 3 升味準之輔; Masumi, Junnosuke (1985). Gendai seiji : 1955-nen igo (Shohan ed.). Tōkyō: Tōkyō Daigaku Shuppankai. 4 “Japan as a One-Party State: The Future for Koizumi and Beyond”.www.wilsoncenter.org.Wilson Center. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2023.