Japan Decides 2014 ― The Japanese General Election

The 2014 Japanese election was framed as a referendum on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's signature 'Abenomics' policies. This 'bait and switch' election saw the focus on Abenomics give little indication of the policy changes to come immediately after the polls closed. Collecting original and high-quality analysis by top scholars from Japan, the United States, Australia, and Europe, this volume analyzes and explains the results of the 2014 election. Chapters examine each of the major political parties, central policy issues, campaign practices, questions of gender, and consider how the results were used as a mandate for massive policy reforms. The text reveals the true significance of this election, provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of Japanese Politics and is vital reading for anyone interested in Japanese electoral politics, as well as comparative electoral practices.

Robert Pekkanen is Associate Professor at the Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington, USA. He is the author of a number of articles and books on Japanese and comparative politics, including Japan's Dual Civil Society and The Rise and Fall of Japan's LDP: Political Party Organizations as Historical Institutions.

Steven R. Reed is Professor of Modern Government at Chuo University, Japan. He has written widely on Japanese and comparative parties and elections. Most recently, he has edited Japanese Electoral Politics: Creating a New Party System, and Political Change in Japan: Electoral Behavior, Party Realignment, and the Koizumi Reforms.

Ethan Scheiner is Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Davis, USA. His is the author of Democracy Without Competition in Japan: Opposition Failure in a One-Party Dominant State and Electoral Systems and Political Context: How the Effects of Rules Vary Across New and Established Democracies.