Progressive political parties (Japan)

Kakushin seitō (革新政党), meaning reformist political parties[1] or progressive political parties,[2][3] is an umbrella term used in Japan to refer to a variety of left-leaning political parties generally viewed as "anti-conservative." In the postwar period, it has generally been applied to democratic socialist, social democratic and socially progressive parties that seek to uphold Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution. Japan's "progressive parties" are basically opposed to constitutional amendments led by right-wing conservatives, so they are partly in solidarity with moderate liberal parties. "Kakushin" parties have been considered progressive or radical-liberal forces.[4][5]

In general, while the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has a strong conservative tendency, the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) has shown a strong progressive tendency[3] in the Japanese political spectrum. In the 21st century, not only traditional democratic socialist parties but also some liberal parties began to be regarded as part of the kakushin seitō in the Japanese political context.[6][7]

  1. ^ Kosaka, ed. (2013). Social Stratification In Japan. Routledge. p. 128. ... In the 1955 survey, supporters of the conservative party were found to be fairly clearly differentiated from reformist party supporters. With regard to age, older generations tend to support the conservative party whereas the young tend ...
  2. ^ Kosaka, ed. (1970). Japan Socialist Review - Issues 194-205. p. 199. ... has consistently defended the economic and social interests of the working people through its parliamentary and exter-parliamentary activities, and has won the greater results through its activities than any other progressive party. ...
  3. ^ a b Willy Jou, Masahisa Endo, ed. (2016). Generational Gap in Japanese Politics: A Longitudinal Study of Political Attitudes and Behaviour. Springer. p. 29. ISBN 9781137503428. Conventional wisdom, still dominant in media and academic circles, holds that the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) occupy the conservative and progressive ends of the ideological spectrum, ...
  4. ^ Willy Jou, Masahisa Endo, ed. (2016). Generational Gap in Japanese Politics: A Longitudinal Study of Political Attitudes and Behaviour. Springer. p. 43. ISBN 9781137503428. This may reflect the dramatic decline in the electoral fortunes of traditionally progressive parties, including not only the JCP but also the SDP. Indeed, the term "progressive" (kakushin) itself has faded from political discourse since ...
  5. ^ Tetsuya Kataoka, ed. (1992). Creating Single-party Democracy: Japan's Postwar Political System. Hoover Institution Press. p. 2. ISBN 9780817991111. The constitution was defended by the JSP, the mainstay of kakushin (radical-liberal forces), that included a small group of Japan Communist party (JCP) members.
  6. ^ "Japan opposition parties' failing merger bid offers glimpse into divisions". The Japan Times. 17 January 2020.
  7. ^ Helen Hardacre; Timothy S. George; Keigo Komamura; Franziska Seraphim, eds. (2021). Japanese Constitutional Revisionism and Civic Activism. Rowman & Littlefield.

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