Political Life

Since the liberation of Japan from American rule in 1952, the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has been the largest political party. While various scandals have plagued the ultra-conservative party, the LDP has been in power almost constantly since 1955, when it was created with the merging of Japan's Liberal and Democratic conservative parties. Only in 1993 did Japan come under socialist rule for a year. Today, the Liberal Democratic Party continues to dominate Japanese politics, though the opposition, lead by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) seems to be gaining stronger influence in the Diet. Here are a list of Japan's main political parties, along with their status in the House of Representatives as of the House of Representative election on 8 November 2003.

SHUGI-IN (HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES) - ELECTION 8 NOVEMBER 2003
Jiyu Minshu-to OR Jimin-to - Liberal Democratic Party LDP (conservative) 237
Minshu-to - Democratic Party (liberal, social-democratic)DPJ 177
Komei-to - Clean Government Party (conservative, theocratic Buddhist) CGP 34
Nihon Kyosai-to - Communist Party (communist, authoritarian) NKT 9
Shakai Minshu-to - Social Democratic Party social-democratic) SDP 6
Honshu-to - Conservative Party (conservative, NOTE: merged into Liberal Democratic Party, now
defunct) - CP 4 (4 seats given to LDP when CP merged with LDP)
Jiyu Rengo - Liberal League (liberal, democratic) LL 1
Mushozoku-no-kai - Independent's Party (centrist) IP 1
Non-partisans - (NON-PARTISAN) NP 11
OTHER SMALL POLITICAL PARTIES that won no seats

Shin-to Sakigake - New Harbinger Party - NHP - (conservative, mild-progressive)

Okinawa Social Masses Party (extreme left, authoritarian, Okinawan separatist)

Today, the government is led by Prime Minster Junichiro Koizumi, holding office since 2001, who is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He made a radical change when allowed for members of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (the modern day antecedent of the Imperial Army) to be sent to Iraq. Today, the ruling coalition is formed by the LDP and the CGP, while the opposition is formed by the DPJ, the NKT, the SDP, the LL, and the IP. The Independents and the Non-Partisans form the Independent Opposition, while the NHP is dormant, and the Okinawan separatist Okinawa Social Masses Party is dormant as well.