Conservatism in Japan

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Conservatism in Japan (Japanese: 保守主義, romanized: hoshu shugi) is the dominant ideology of the country's post-war politics, notably through the establishment of the "1955 System" under the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Since its inception in 1955, the LDP has been a dominant force in Japanese politics, embodying the party's conservative policies and shaping the country's governance for much of the post-war era.

Mainstream contemporary Japanese conservatives largely believe in stances such as revising the Constitution and a pro-United States foreign policy,[1][2][3] while some hold positions including calls for remilitarization and a stronger foreign policy against communist North Korea and China and sometimes South Korea and Russia. Additionally, radical conservatives express anti-LGBT and anti-immigration sentiments[4][5][6][7] as well as engaging in denial of Japanese war crimes prior to and during World War II.[8][9][10]

History

During the Meiji era (1868–1912), Japan underwent a significant transformation as the country embarked on a process of rapid modernization and Westernization. While embracing modern reforms to strengthen Japan's economy and military, conservative factions within the government and society sought to preserve traditional Japanese values and institutions. The Meiji government implemented policies aimed at centralizing power under the Emperor, promoting nationalism, and reinforcing social hierarchies. These conservative efforts aimed to maintain social order amidst the profound societal changes brought about by industrialization and Western influence. Samurai values of loyalty, duty, and honor continued to influence conservative thought, emphasizing allegiance to the Emperor and the preservation of Japan's cultural identity in the face of Western encroachment.[11][12][13]

In the 1930s and 40s, conservatism took on a more extreme character. Influenced by rising militarism and expansionist ambitions, conservative factions within the government and military advocated for aggressive foreign policies aimed at securing Japan's dominance in East Asia. This period saw the emergence of ultranationalist parties such as the Imperial Rule Assistance Association and the militarization of Japanese society, with conservative forces pushing for military expansion and imperialist ventures in China and other parts of Asia. The rise of militarism and ultranationalism led to the erosion of democratic institutions and a tightening grip of authoritarianism, resulting in Japan's involvement in World War II.[14][15][16]

After the war, Japanese conservatism experienced a resurgence under the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which came to power in 1955 and established the "1955 system" of conservative dominance in Japanese politics. Due to this, the LDP emerged as a dominant political force which lasts to this day.[17][18]

Positions

See also: Neoconservatism in Japan

Japanese conservatism espouses classical conservative stances and values in relation to the nuclear family, the nation-state, property rights, rule of law, and monarchy. As such, this section will only highlight policies that are exclusive to Japanese conservatism.

Domestic

Japanese conservatives advocate for revising the country's constitution, particularly Article 9, which renounces war and prohibits Japan from maintaining a military. Constitutional revision was the priority of many conservative prime ministers throughout the 20th and 21st century, notably during the second premiership of Shinzo Abe from 2012 to 2020.[1][2]

Japanese conservatives and politicians often engage in denial of Japanese war crimes committed during the Imperial era (1868–1945), most notably its denial of the Nanjing and Kantō Massacres, making pseudohistorical claims that such events did not take place. Japanese conservatives occasionally engage in historical revisionism, glorifying aspects of Japan's wartime past, such as by visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, a Shinto shrine in Tokyo commemorating the 2,466,532 who died in service of Japan, including 1066 convicted war criminals. This has led to many controversies surrounding the shrine, as visits to the shrine by Japanese prime ministers, cabinet members, or parliamentarians draw condemnation from countries such as China and South Korea. Some Japanese conservatives have attempted to justify Japan's involvement in World War II by framing it as a noble cause to "liberate Asia from Western colonial powers".

Following the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, popular opinion towards nuclear energy has been contentious. While most Japanese conservatives advocate for the continued use and expansion of nuclear power, some moderates have called for phasing out nuclear energy entirely due to safety concerns and environmental risks.[19]

Japan's practice of whaling has been a source of controversy both domestically and internationally.[20] Most Japanese conservatives argue for the preservation of whaling as a cultural tradition and an important economic activity as opposed to Japanese liberals who mostly advocate for stricter regulations or an end to commercial whaling.[21]

Japanese conservatives have often opposed changing the Imperial Household Law to allow for female succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne.[22] Similarly, Japanese conservatives have opposed the country's surname reforms where married couples would be given the option of choosing either spouse's surname or creating a new surname altogether.[23][24]

International

Japanese conservatives, with the exception of far-right ultranationalists, generally accept and embrace the country's close relations with the United States, supporting the U.S.–Japan Alliance and the presence of U.S. military forces in Japanese territory in contrast to Japanese progressives who opposes both the military alliance and the presence of American troops. Moreover, Japanese conservatives advocate for a stronger foreign policy against China (due to territorial disputes and geopolitical competition) and North Korea (due to its nuclear program and abductions of Japanese citizens), and sometimes towards South Korea (due to territorial disputes, comfort women issue, and trade disputes) and Russia (due to territorial disputes and Russia's invasion of Ukraine). Due to Japan's hostile relations with China, most Japanese conservatives support establishing closer relations with Taiwan, with prominent conservative politicians advocating for direct intervention if war between Taiwan and China were to break out.[25][26]

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Japanese conservatives have expressed support for Ukraine due to Japan's ongoing territorial dispute with Russia regarding the Kuril Islands, which the Japanese government claims are "illegally occupied" by Russia. According to a 2012 Pew Global Attitudes Project survey, 72% of Japanese people view Russia unfavorably, making Japan the most anti-Russian country surveyed.[27] A 2017 poll from the Japanese government found that 78.1% of Japanese said that they felt little or no affinity to Russia, which was the second highest percentage out of 8 regions polled (behind negative affinity to China at 78.5%).[28]

Conservative parties

Major parties

Minor parties

Others

Defunct parties

Post-war

Pre-war

Conservative media in Japan

Conservative figures

Prominent Japanese conservative figures include:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Will Abe's Legacy Be Constitutional Revision?". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  2. ^ a b Sieg, Linda (2019-11-19). "Mission unaccomplished — Abe's drive to revise pacifist Constitution". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  3. ^ Whiting, Robert (August 19, 2020). "Inside story of US black ops in post-war Japan". Asia times. Archived from the original on April 18, 2024. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  4. ^ Allen, Jay (2023-04-27). "Despite Broad Public Support, Japan's LDP Balks on Marriage Equality". Unseen Japan. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  5. ^ Fusek, Alyssa Pearl (2022-07-12). "In Japan, Anger at Anti-LGBT Booklet Circulated at Ruling LDP Conference". Unseen Japan. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  6. ^ Coleman, Joseph (2023-07-24). "Amid a labor shortage, Japan has made it even harder for refugees to stay". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  7. ^ Mckenna, Shaun; Ninivaggi, Gabriele (2023-06-21). "Things just got a bit tougher for asylum-seekers in Japan". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  8. ^ Semans, Himari (2023-09-20). "Nanjing Massacre Denier Founds New Conservative Political Party in Japan". Unseen Japan. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  9. ^ Inquirer, Philippine Daily (2022-07-26). "The other side of Shinzo Abe: historical revisionism, denial of war crimes". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  10. ^ Chotiner, Isaac (2022-07-09). "How Shinzo Abe Sought to Rewrite Japanese History". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  11. ^ Pyle, Kenneth B. (1989), Jansen, Marius B. (ed.), "Meiji conservatism", The Cambridge History of Japan: Volume 5: The Nineteenth Century, The Cambridge History of Japan, vol. 5, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 674–720, ISBN 978-1-139-05509-3, retrieved 2024-04-18
  12. ^ "Conservatism - Japanese Tradition, Nationalism, Reforms | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  13. ^ "Meiji and Taishō Japan: An Introductory Essay | TEA Online Curriculum Projects | University of Colorado Boulder". www.colorado.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  14. ^ "Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and the Anti-Comintern Pact". The National WWII Museum | New Orleans. 2021-11-17. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  15. ^ "1930s Japan: A Time of Turmoil and Transformation". Wrightwood 659. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  16. ^ "Fascism in Japan | History of Western Civilization II". courses.lumenlearning.com. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  17. ^ "Liberal-Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 2024-03-20. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  18. ^ "The Formation of the Liberal Democratic Party | Liberal Democratic Party of Japan". www.jimin.jp. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  19. ^ Canada, Asia Pacific Foundation of. "Japan's Energy Security Debate Revived After New Year's Quake". Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  20. ^ "US-Japan whaling spat threatens Indo-Pacific trade deal". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  21. ^ "Life in Japan: Whaling and national pride". Mainichi Daily News. 2024-03-06. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  22. ^ ""Dual Lineage" as Japanese Tradition: The Female Emperor Debate Moves Forward". nippon.com. 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  23. ^ "Debate over surnames hinders reform agenda of Japanese PM". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  24. ^ Konohana, Waka (2024-02-07). "The land where single surnames are the only option". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  25. ^ China (Taiwan), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of (2024-01-11). "MOFA sincerely thanks Japan's Aso for supporting Taiwan". Taiwan Today. Retrieved 2024-04-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ "Shinzo Abe Transformed Japan's Relationship With Taiwan to Counter Threats from China". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  27. ^ "Opinion of Russia". Pew Research Center. 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  28. ^ "Overview of the Public Opinion Survey on Diplomacy (page 4)" (PDF). Public Relations Office, Government of Japan. December 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2021.
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