"Breaking the Iron Triangle". Contemporary Attempts on Reforming the Japanese Policy Making Process

On August 30, 2009, Lower House elections for the bicameral Diet were held in Japan where the DPJ, short for Democratic Party of Japan, achieved a landslide victory. Never before has the opposition party in Japan reached such a clear success in becoming the new ruling party of Japan and making the thus far dominant Liberal Democratic Party, abbreviated as LDP, the new opposition. As the newly elected government argues that the Iron Triangle Model, which dominates Japanese policy making processes, is outdated and proposed plans on how to reform it, new discussions about this post-war concept arose. Thus, this paper will deal with the following questions. In how far has the Iron Triangle Model been reformed in the recent years? Is Japan shifting away from this post-war model and, what, if anything, has been achieved by contemporary reforms? In how far are the reform attempts of former Prime Minister Koizumi and Prime Minister Hatoyama similar to each other? The goal of the paper is to answer these questions while also giving a diligent insight and thorough understanding of the Iron Triangle Model. Moreover, this model for Japanese policy making and its up-to-dateness will be rated. For answering these research questions, not only the newly proposed plans of the Democratic Party of Japan are to be elaborated and evaluated, but also the contemporary reform attempt of Koizumi Jun’ichirō, which started in 2001, is to be explained. While most scientific analyses and traditional studies tended to focus almost exclusively on either Prime Minister Koizumi’s or Prime Minister Hatoyama’s reform attempts in economic as well as institutional terms, this paper spotlights on a juxtaposition of Koizumi Jun'ichirō and Hatoyama Yukio’s institutional reforms.
The reform attempts will be compared and evaluated based on scientific journals and research papers that solely focus on one of the actors or specific topics discussed in this analysis combining their findings. Also, official government information, publications by political parties and data from textbooks will deliver theoretical background and additional insight. The theory applied to solve the research question is the Iron Triangle Model, which characterizes Japanese policy making throughout the post-war era. An in-depth evaluation of the model, the actor’s roles as well as the reform attempts themselves will be executed to present a sound juxtaposition.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1. INTRODUCTION
• 2. THE IRON TRIANGLE
• 2.1 THE IRON TRIANGLE MODEL
• 2.2 ACTORS WITHIN THE IRON TRIANGLE
• 2.2.1 LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY
• 2.2.2 BUREAUCRACY
• 2.2.3 INDUSTRY
• 2.3 INTERLINKAGE BETWEEN THE ACTORS
• 2.3.1 BUREAUCRACY AND INDUSTRY
• 2.3.2 INDUSTRY AND THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY
• 2.3.3 THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND BUREAUCRACY
• 2.3.4 UNIVERSITY TIES
• 3. REFORMS UNDER KOIZUMI JUN'ICHIRO
• 3.1 INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
• 3.2 ENDURANCE OF THE CHANGES
• 4. REFORMS UNDER HATOYAMA YUKIO
• 4.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE REFORM
• 4.2 CHALLENGES
• 5. JUXTAPOSITION OF REFORM ATTEMPTS
• 5.1 SIMILARITIES
• 5.2 DIFFERENCES
• 5.3 EVALUATION
• 6. CONCLUSION

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This bachelor's thesis, "Breaking the Iron Triangle," delves into contemporary attempts to reform the Japanese policy-making process, specifically focusing on the period following the 1990s. The thesis examines the challenges and strategies employed by key actors, including the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the bureaucracy, and industry, in their efforts to break the grip of the "Iron Triangle" and create a more efficient and responsive system.

• The "Iron Triangle" model and its influence on Japanese policy-making
• The dynamics and interlinkage between the LDP, bureaucracy, and industry
• The reform efforts of Prime Ministers Koizumi Jun'ichiro and Hatoyama Yukio
• The similarities and differences in their approaches to reform
• An evaluation of the effectiveness and sustainability of these reform attempts.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 2 provides a detailed analysis of the Iron Triangle model, examining its origins, key actors, and the interconnected relationships between them. It delves into the historical development of this system, outlining the specific ways in which the LDP, bureaucracy, and industry have collaborated to shape policy outcomes.
• Chapter 3 examines the reform efforts of Koizumi Jun'ichiro, highlighting the key institutional changes he introduced and analyzing their impact on the Iron Triangle. It evaluates the degree to which these changes succeeded in breaking the established dynamics.
• Chapter 4 focuses on the reform attempts of Hatoyama Yukio, outlining his objectives and the challenges he faced in his endeavors to reshape the policy-making process. This chapter provides a comparative analysis of Hatoyama's approach to reform in relation to Koizumi's.
• Chapter 5 juxtaposes the reform attempts of both Prime Ministers, highlighting their similarities and differences. This chapter assesses the successes and limitations of each reform effort, providing insights into the complexities of enacting significant changes to the Japanese policy-making system.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The central themes and concepts explored in this thesis include the "Iron Triangle" model, Japanese policy-making, bureaucratic reform, political economy, and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The thesis examines the complex relationship between political power, bureaucratic structures, and industry interests, analyzing the challenges and strategies involved in reforming a long-standing system.

Details

• College: Cologne Business School Köln
• Course: East Asia Management
• Grade: 1,1
• Author: Remi Bauer (Author)
• Publication Year: 2010
• Pages: 56
• Catalog Number: V231835
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656487555
• ISBN (Book): 9783656492344
• Language: English
• Tags: Japan Iron Triangle East Asia Politics Japanese Policy Making LDP