Modern Japanese political system

Author: Yin Yanjun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: At the time of this book's publication, it coincided with the 60th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. The post-war international situation and Japan had undergone significant changes. Politically, Japan transitioned from an autocratic monarchy before the war to a constitutional monarchy-based capitalist democratic system. Although Japan's political system underwent many changes before and after the war, it still retained many old elements, and the two forms of the imperial system were inseparable. Historical experience is worth noting. The study of modern Japanese political systems and their impact on foreign policy is of positive significance for understanding Japan's past and present. If national political systems determine national policies, then the absolute role and influence of modern Japanese political systems on its foreign policy are self-evident. This book is a research work on modern Japanese political systems, particularly the role and influence of the political system on its foreign expansion policy. Over the nearly 80 years from the Meiji Restoration in 1867 to Japan's surrender in 1945, Japan's political system underwent tremendous evolution and several stages of development.
First, the Meiji Restoration transformed the political system from a feudal military shogunate autocracy into a hybrid form of modern Japanese and Western systems. The second stage involved establishing an autocratic monarchy through the Meiji Constitution, combining modern Western political systems with Japan's inherent imperial system to create a unique autocratic monarchy. Subsequently, based on the imperial system's autocratic regime, Japan fully pursued national modernization and continuously expanded outward under the slogans of "enriching the nation and strengthening the military" to achieve the goals of an imperialist state. The establishment of Japan's imperialist system was part of its efforts to escape its colonial crisis, premised on imitating the West and invading neighboring countries by force. After acquiring colonies through war and completely overcoming its colonial crisis, Japan continued its foreign expansion policy with the goal of dominating Asia. The third stage saw further evolution into a militaristic regime under the autocratic monarchy. The former—the autocratic monarchy—was the breeding ground for the development of the militaristic regime, while the latter—the militaristic regime—was a variation of the autocratic monarchy, with an inseparable systemic connection between the two. The imperial system's militaristic regime also served as the institutional guarantee for Japan's imperialist drive in large-scale foreign expansion wars. These transformations were closely intertwined with international and domestic political developments in Japan, and had a significant connection with the core of the political system—the emperor. It involved many aspects and factors related to Japan's political system. There was the hard system stipulated by the Meiji Constitution, where the emperor was the apex and power core of the system, as well as the secular system not explicitly mentioned in the constitution but playing a huge role in the political system—such as the emperor's inner circle, social groups, local government structures, and even black organizations. There was also the soft system supporting the regime—social, ideological, and religious aspects. A prominent feature was the "national system" formed during the wars, which was both a culmination and a variation of the Meiji political system and an important institutional guarantee for the development and expansion of its foreign expansion policy.
After the war, Japan underwent a series of political reforms under the sole occupation by the United States. The new constitution (May 1947), led by the U.S., forced Japan to establish a capitalist democratic system. However, indirect occupation by the U.S. preserved the integrity of local governments, the retention of former officials, and their return to politics, which gave the new system a lingering hue of the old. The autocratic monarch was transformed into a symbolic emperor, but the loyalty of retained officials and politicians to the emperor and pre-war national consciousness did not change. The preservation of local governments in their original form left the foundation of the conservative regime intact, so despite significant changes, the existing system remained closely linked to the old one. Although democratic ideas had long taken root in Japanese society, and the harsh lessons of war had made people realize the value of peace and the evil of war, Japan's traditional conservative consciousness, team spirit (patriotism and loyalty to the emperor), and secular style of thinking still persisted. The "reverence for the U.S. and disdain for Asia" consciousness that emerged since the Meiji era still exists today. The contrast between the political system's internal and external aspects, as well as the severe constraints of the soft system outside the regime on the "democratic system," have prevented Japan from achieving sincere reconciliation with the major countries it once invaded (China, South Korea, North Korea, etc.). On the 60th anniversary of its defeat, Japan faces new choices: amending the constitution and the tendency to highlight its political and military role as a major power, which has begun to cause new anxieties among its neighbors. Can the existing democratic system ensure Japan's continued path of peace, and how far will its outward-looking military policy, under the banner of "self-defense," go? Only time will tell.
The study of modern Japanese political systems is a highly complex endeavor, and it is inevitable that some aspects may be overlooked. This book analyzes the formation of the Meiji system and the various elements within and outside the Meiji constitutional system. By studying the roles of different parts of the political system in the decision-making process of Japan's modern foreign expansion wars, it attempts to clarify the intrinsic connection between Japan's modern political system and its foreign expansion policy, hoping to provide readers with a general understanding of the evolution of modern Japanese history. If this book can serve as a stepping stone for further research and offer insights into understanding modern and contemporary Japan, the author will be greatly honored. Based on existing research, particularly Japanese research and publicly released official documents from the Japanese government, the author adopts an empirical research approach to analyze and discuss the intrinsic connection between modern Japanese political systems and its foreign expansion policy. At the same time, it places emphasis on case studies of major historical events' decision-making processes, evaluating relevant individuals and institutions, with substantial evidence and thorough arguments.