This edited volume is the fifth in the Japan Decides series and the premier venue for scholarly research on the 2024 general election for the Japanese House of Representatives. The 2024 election was historic, with Japan's long-ruling LDP suffering its second worst showing at the ballot box since it was founded. The volume features a broad range of scholarship from top researchers in Japan, the United States, and Europe. After an introduction that sets the stage, the second section analyzes political parties, including the LDP, CDP, Komeito, and Ishin. The third section explores the campaign, and features chapters on the policy positions of candidates, social media, public opinion, party manifestos, and turnout. The fourth section analyzes the major policy issues surrounding the election, including the Unification Church and money scandals, women’s representation, LGBTQ+ rights, childcare, macroeconomics and inflation, and Japan’s role in the global economy. The conclusion synthesizes the original research in the volume’s chapters to provide a coherent overall explanation for understanding the election in both historical and comparative perspective.
Part 1: Introduction.
Chapter 1: Introduction: LDP Dominance on the
Edge.
Chapter 2: The 2024 Election Results: A Political Earthquake.- Part 2:
Political Parties.
Chapter 3: Reasons behind the LDP's Loss in the 2024
Election.
Chapter 4: The CDP in 2024: The Legacy of the Electoral Coalition
with the JCP.
Chapter 5: A Costly Coalition: Komeito's Enduring Partnership
with the LDP.
Chapter 6: Why Did Public Support for the Japan Innovation
Party Decline in the 2024 HR Election?.- Part 3: The Campaign.
Chapter 7:
Electoral Campaigns in Japan's 2024 General Election: Signs of Structural
Transformation.
Chapter 8: Policy Positions of the Candidates.
Chapter 9:
How Party Manifestos Framed Political Distrust in the 2024 Election.
Chapter
10: Public Opinion and Scandals in Economic Hard Times.
Chapter 11: Social
Media in the 2024 Election.
Chapter 12: Partisanship and Turnout in the 2024
General Election.- Part 4: Issues.
Chapter 13: Scandals During the Kishida
Administration.
Chapter 14: Perennial Fears, Novel Responses: The
Unification Church in Japan After the Abe Assassination.
Chapter 15:
Increase in Womens Representation and Candidates Positions on Gender
Equality Issues.
Chapter 16: LGBTQ+ Rights Issues and the 2024 Japanese
Election.
Chapter 17: Childcare Policy in the 2024 Election: Who Resonated
with the Public Amid an Unprecedented Birthrate Decline?.
Chapter 18:
Election under Inflation: LDPs Choice of Macroeconomic Policy.
Chapter 19:
Japan Decides Its Role in the Global Economy: Trade and Economic Security in
the 2024 Election.
Chapter 20: Conclusion: The LDP Loses Trust and the
Illusion of Invincibility.
Kenneth M. McElwain is Professor of Comparative Politics at the Institute of Social Science, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Robert J. Pekkanen is Professor of International Studies at the University of Washington, USA.
Daniel M. Smith is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania, USA.
