This book provides a comprehensive look at all of Japan's current major and minor national-level parties. It provides a detailed analysis of the Democratic Socialists, the Clean Government party, and the New Liberal Club and intended for students of comparative politics and political parties.

"Ronald J. Hrebenar is professor of political science at the University of Utah and a former Fulbright Lecturer on the Faculty of Law at Tohoku University in Japan.
Peter Berton is professor of international relations at the University of Southern California
Akira Nakamura are professors of political science at Meiji University in Tokyo
J.A.A. Stockwin is director of the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies at Oxford University.
Nobuo Tomita are professors of political science at Meiji University in Tokyo"

Foreword -- Preface -- Note on Personal Names -- Introduction to the Japanese Party System -- The Changing Postwar Party System -- Rules of the Game: The Impact of the Electoral System on Political Parties -- The Money Base of Japanese Politics -- The Parties of the Left -- The Japan Socialist Party: A Politics of Permanent Opposition -- The Japan Communist Party: The "Lovable" Party -- The Parties of the Center -- The K¿meit¿: Party of "Buddhist Democracy" -- The Democratic Socialist Party: Enigma of the Center -- Political Party Proliferation: The New Liberal Club and the Mini-Parties -- The Ruling Party of Japan and Its Future -- The Liberal Democratic Party: The Ruling Party of Japan -- The Changing Party System in the 1980s: From One-Party Rule Toward an Era of Coalition Government -- The 1986 General Elections -- Appendix