Abstract
The 2021 general election was symbolic of the recent political situation in Japan, which should be called the “Neo 1955 system.” From the perspective of the party system, the Neo (and old) 1955 system is characterized by (1) one-party dominance and (2) ideological polarization of the ruling and opposition parties. The political reforms of the Heisei era aimed to change this pattern of interparty competition and increase electoral competitiveness, but they were not successful. In postwar Japanese politics, where the “constitutional issue” has been embedded, only conservative parties have been considered competent to govern, and opposition parties have been easily divided along ideological axes.
