Exploring Party Selection in Parliamentary Petitions:

Unraveling the Fabric of Democratic Engagement

Abstract

  This study examines the dynamics of petitioners’ party contact throughout the petition process in Japan. In Japan, formalized petitions to the legislatures are submitted only through intermediaries in the form of elected members. This process requires petitioners to consider how to manage their relationship with each party and to choose which parties to approach as their sponsors. After examining the data from the original postal survey of prefectural petitions, this study finds that there are three major types of party contact in Japanese local politics: ruling parties (Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito), liberal parties, and suprapartisan. Various elements, including policy, campaign, scrutiny, and voice, influence the petitioners’ choice of party contact. Petitioners who expect their petitions to implement a change to a policy are likely to approach the ruling parties, whereas those who focus on the agenda-setting are more inclined to approach the liberal parties. Meanwhile, petitioners aiming to influence public opinion will approach legislators in a supra-partisan manner. Regardless of the LDP’s predominance at many prefectural assemblies, recognizing the different functions of petitions may diversify the connections between citizens and parties.