The Annuals of Japanese Political Science Association
Online ISSN : 1884-3921
Print ISSN : 0549-4192
ISSN-L : 0549-4192
Volume 57, Issue 2
Displaying 1-10 of 10 articles from this issue
  • [in Japanese]
    2006 Volume 57 Issue 2 Pages 3-5
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Download PDF (267K)
  • Tetsuki TAMURA
    2006 Volume 57 Issue 2 Pages 11-35,263
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In this article, focusing upon the recent development in deliberative democracy studies, I clarify the current state of relationship between normative theory and empirical research and consider its future.
    Deliberative democracy had been discussed by normative theorists. But in recent years, some important empirical studies have emerged. There are two ways of inference among those studies: one is descriptive inference, and the other is causal inference.
    Some normative theorists also try to take some empirical moments into account. We can find two approaches. One is to suggest institutional design of deliberative democracy. The other is to use the empirical knowledge in order to develop normative theory.
    Some scholars insist that both normative and empirical can not be separated. But it is hard to conceive the dissolution of normative/empirical distinction. One of the most important differences between the two is the way to understand “reality”, while this does not mean that there is no point of intersection between the two.
    My conclusion is that: there are some points of intersection between normative theory and empirical analysis. Trying to engage in issue-oriented research, we may be able to close the gap between normative and empirical.
    Download PDF (2203K)
  • Political Changes and Constructivism
    Yasushi KONDO
    2006 Volume 57 Issue 2 Pages 36-59,263
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In the study of comparative politics, we need a theory that is applicable in analyzing of a ‘political change’ or ‘institutional change’. This article attempts to gain a view of such comparative politics theory, focusing on ‘ideational approaches’. Through the review of existing various ideational approaches in political science, this article argues the potential of ideational approaches for analysis of political change.
    First, for ideational approaches, it is necessary to highlight not only the existence of ideas per se but also the function of ideas in the political processes. Specifically, we need to focus on the process in which an idea gains wide support from various political actors and thereby coalitions for a political change are built. Second, in case of such coalition building, we need to specify the influences of an idea from the point of view of ‘preference formation’. Third, for more persuasiveness, it is important to take into account the interrelation between ideas and institutions. Finally, this article discusses the possibility of ideational approaches that mediate rationalists, culturalists, and structuralists in comparative politics.
    Download PDF (2166K)
  • Changing Japanese Politics and Developing Political Science Research
    Tadashi MORI
    2006 Volume 57 Issue 2 Pages 60-82,264
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In this article, the potential of “practicable science, ” which is the new trend in Japanese politics in the 21st century, is being discussed and examined, focusing on a series of researches on Japan's political reforms.
    There have been two major trends or academic tendencies in the discussions of the political reforms. One is the attitude of political researchers who express strong criticism on political practices and propose actual policies actively participating in decision making processes. The other is the trend where certain distance is kept from actual political practices but they clarify the political actors' behavior at micro level, the changes of political phenomena, and the consequences through an empirical analysis. Both trends spread rapidly during the period.
    The new wave of Japanese political science research in the 21st century will bridge these two trends and respond to the proposition of “practicable science.” Policy proposals, empirical analysis, and normative discussions represented in public philosophy need to share functions and cooperate consciously while complementing each other without excluding others. It will be indispensable in establishing “practicable science, ” the new trend in Japan's political science research.
    Download PDF (2054K)
  • Policy Experts or Administrative Conservator?
    Toru MIYAMOTO
    2006 Volume 57 Issue 2 Pages 83-124,264
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    “Japan; Who governs?” This has been one of the main themes in the Japanese political science. Since the bureaucracy had been the core of the pre-war imperial system, the establishment of the elected officials' supremacy under the new Constitution became, the priority objective. This goal was achieved by the decades of the Liberal Democratic Party's one party dominance. However, recent studies have re-discovered the significance of the bureaucracy.
    After reviewing the academic literature, this article brings three new perspectives. First, the new type of bureaucracy, “administrative conservator, ” is emerging. Second, this “re-discovery” of the Japanese bureaucratic leadership might be temporary. Japan has become a front-runner who has to choose her own shape of the state. Bureaucrats have to work together with politicians since only politicians can make legitimate decisions. Therefore it's time for us to discuss the constructive relationship between those two, instead of asking which has the dominance. This identifies factors that define the bureaucracy itself. Finally, this article demonstrates the knowledge that defines bureaucracy is not some knowledge on particular areas, but the certain attitudes towards policies.
    Download PDF (3974K)
  • Edmund Burke, Jean-François Lyotard, and Stephen White
    Daisuke ODAGAWA
    2006 Volume 57 Issue 2 Pages 125-149,265
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In his later work, L'inhumaine: Causeries sur le temps (1988), Jean-François Lyotard advocated the aesthetic political theory under the influence of Edmund Burke's early writing, A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful (1759), though little attention has been paid to this point so far. This paper is intended as the examination of Burke's physiological aesthetics of sublimity and Lyotard's postmodern theory of the sublime from the perspective of political philosophy. Indeed, they didn't preach Kantian moral principles, but claimed the necessity of cultivation of the ethical sensibility through the aesthetical experience of the sublime in their theories. We may go on from this to the conclusion that it is what Stephen White called “the sense of responsibility to otherness” and “the world-disclosing function of language” in his work, Political Theory and Postmodernism (1991) that Burke and Lyotard emphasized the importance of.
    Download PDF (2217K)
  • A Case of European Integration
    Kazuto SUZUKI
    2006 Volume 57 Issue 2 Pages 150-177,265
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The end of Cold War and the globalization have changed the assumption of International Relations. This paper focuses on the issue of legitimacy which was solely provided by sovereign state, but decline of autonomy of state and emergence of non-state actors make us reconsider the meaning of legitimacy in the globalized world. It particularly pays attention to the question of legitimacy at European Union (EU) as an experiment of post-sovereign legitimacy.
    After the failures of ratifying Constitutional Treaty, the legitimacy of EU is put in question. Its “output oriented”, vision-led, and national democratic legitimacy are undermined by the lack of positive output by EU, grand vision, transparency and European identity made people consider the decisions at EU level are not legitimate.
    Thus, this paper argues that it is necessary to strengthen the legitimacy of EU through deliberation. In this way, people will participate in defining the course of European Integration and their fate. This should not be done by Europe-wide bureaucratic process, but from national-level where people find their identity. This discussion of legitimacy of EU would, perhaps, be able to apply for developing legitimacy of global governance.
    Download PDF (2722K)
  • Interaction and Crossover amongst Approaches to Politics
    Koji ONO
    2006 Volume 57 Issue 2 Pages 178-201,266
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The aim of this paper is to introduce new trends within theories of Political Science, to attempt to nudge the discipline of Political Science into a more practical direction, and also to clarify the significance of the Asian Legal Assistance Project, currently being carried out by the Graduate School of Law at Nagoya University. Firstly, Political Science is often referred to as “the discipline divided, ” but this situation has seen a degree of change recently. There are sincere discussions and interactions among the three kinds of Institutionalism in search of fruitful cooperation. To demonstrate this dialogue, I introduce some books as good examples. Secondly, a number of political scientists have started projects to apply their knowledge to the solving of practical political issues. I introduce the book Democracy at Risk as an example of this. Democracy at Risk is a report by the Standing Committee on Civic Education and Engagement of the American Political Science Association. It tests the proposition that modern political science has useful insights into the state of democratic life and what might be done to improve it. Thirdly, I evaluate the Asian Legal Assistance Project which was commenced by the Graduate School of Law at Nagoya University as one of the practical projects organized by Japanese social scientists. The aim of this project is to establish modern legal systems within the Graduate School's target countries, including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan. This project aims at assisting the transition from planned to market economies of these countries. While this is still a very new project, I think it shows a possible future direction for fruitful cooperation between practitioners and academicians within legal and political sciences.
    Download PDF (2236K)
  • Jiro YAMAGUCHI
    2006 Volume 57 Issue 2 Pages 202-225,267
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Nowadays, the Koizumi government has put his structural reform into practice to some extent. His policy based on neo-liberal ideology is changing policy system which realized parity among the regions and classes in the post war Japan. As the result of 2005 general election showed, the people give support to his reform. This paper aims at grasping the notion of equality that the LDP and the bureaucracy have been pursuing for fifty years. Then, it tries to answer a puzzle, why ordinary people support the neo-liberal policy which causes pain and disadvantage to themselves.
    Japanese-style equality was brought about by combination of discretionary policy and socialization of risk. Although the socio-economic system in post war Japan is often called “successful social democracy”, it is far from the true one in west European countries. Universalistic approach was quite weak in social policy, and discretionary policy such as subsidy and public investment projects functioned as redistributive policy for backward sectors. Discretionary approach also caused chronic corruption and unfair vested interests in the bureaucracy.
    Koizumi was good at attacking this corrupted complex, and aroused expectation among the people. They supported Koizumi's reform because they expected him to slash the corruption and vested interests. However, they do not appreciate real outcome of the structural reform. Our opinion poll in early 2006 shows that they still approve the notion of welfare state and have deep concern about inequality in recent Japanese society.
    Koizumi's reform removed various shelters in Japanese society, and people become exposed to many kinds of risk. In this context, it is likely that debate on role of the government becomes serious in party politics.
    Download PDF (7656K)
  • Kentaro OKU
    2006 Volume 57 Issue 2 Pages 226-259,267
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The Green Breeze Society (Ryokuhukai), formed by the Councilors without affiliation to any particular political party, was the largest faction in the House of Councilors at the time of its establishment. However, it gradually declined to the point at which, after a second election, the majority of Councilors had affiliated with political parties. The existing literature regarding this gradual change focuses on the process of the demise of the Green Breeze Society. This paper, in contrast, pays particular attention to the Liberal Party's (Jiyuto) role in promoting affiliation by the Councilors with the Party. Specifically, this paper sheds light on a vote-gathering base and discusses why the Liberal Party won the second election in a nation-wide constituency.
    This paper concludes by identifying the following two reasons of the Liberal Party's advance. First, the Liberal Party was able to recruit candidates from among those who had national support bases, such as senior bureaucrats and CEOs, and to mobilize broad supporter bases. Second, the Party enabled its prefectural branches to support their local candidates and translated such local support to an election result at the national level.
    Download PDF (2635K)
feedback
Top