This book presents an up-to-date analysis of the political parties that make up the Japanese party system and their impact on Japanese politics and government. It focuses on a central question: why Japanese politics and government has been so dysfunctional in the past two decades? With this question in mind, the chapters provide key background information on Japanese politics and political parties; discuss each of the major political parties that have governed Japan since 1955; and finally, examine the December 2012 House of Representatives elections that returned the LDP to power, and the differences between the First (1955-1993) and the Second Post War Party Systems (1993- ).

1. Japan's Changing Party System: An Introduction 2. The Rules of the Election Game in Japan 3. Japanese Political Finance and Its Dark Side 4. From Would-be 'Third Force' to Governing Party: The Triumph and Fall of The Democratic Party of Japan 5. The Liberal Democratic Party: the Persistent Ruling Party of Japan 6. The New Komei Party: Japan's Buddhist Party and LDP's Coalition Partner 7. The Fall of the DPJ and Return of the LDP to Power: The December 2012 House Elections 8. The Second Party System and the Future of Japanese Politics

Ronald J. Hrebenar is Professor of Political Science at the University of Utah, USA.

Akira Nakamura is Professor Emeritus at Meiji University, Japan.