Abstract
What were the policy preferences of LDP diet-members at the 2012 general election, when they came back to power after having experienced a genuine minority party for the first time of their long history? This paper analyses policy positioning of LDP dietmembers with the survey to the candidates of the 2012 election, conducted by Waseda University and Yomiuri Shinbunsya. It finds that there was significant difference between policy positions of the freshmen and those of the seniors at the issue of security and constitution and that of market liberalization. Senior members were more likely to take extreme positions, hawkish and protectionist, compared to freshmen. The paper also reveals some factors, which affect the policy positioning of LDP diet-members. While those from urban districts or with more vote margin were more likely to be hawkish, biologically older members from local district were more likely to be protectionist controlled for their electoral terms.
