This book is about the Second Party System and how Japanese politics has changed from the old Liberal Democratic Party-dominated First Party System. It will be a helpful guide for the reader to understand Japan's new party system and politics.

Abbreviations - Preface -- Note on Personal Names -- Chapter 1: The Changing Postwar Party System -- Chapter 2: Rules of the Game: The Impact of the Electoral System on Political Parties -- Chapter 3: The Money Base of Japanese Politics -- Chapter 4: The Liberal Democratic Party: Still the Most Powerful Party in Japan -- Chapter 5: The New Parties of the Second Party System -- Chapter 6: The Komeito Returns: The Party of "Buddhist Democracy" -- Chapter 7: The Social Democratic Party (Formerly Socialist Party): A Turbulent Odyssey -- Chapter 8: Japanese Communist Party: The "Lovable" Party -- Chapter 9: The Future of the Second Japanese Party System - Appendixes - Bibliography - Index.