Legitimacy Deficit in Japan: The Road to True Popular Sovereignty

The economic success of so-called "Japan, Inc." and the longevity of the 1955-regime of single-party rule by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have long obscured the reality that sources of political legitimacy in Japan-some reaching back to the era when Japan became a modern state in the nineteenth century-are deeply contested and not formally articulated. The struggle for political renewal in the last two decades, triggered by the collapse of the economic bubble, reflect in part the shifting grounds of legitimacy in Japan, perhaps the most notable political development since the nation began its "catch-up-with-the-West" quest to acquire international status in the Meiji era. What appears historically significant in view of the recent change of power is that popular sovereignty is finally emerging as a significant pillar of legitimacy after nearly 150 years of putting the state above society.