List of political parties in Japan

Political parties in Japan lists political parties in Japan.

Japan, while universally recognized as a liberal democracy with free and fair elections, has operated with a dominant-party system for most of its history since World War II, with the dominant party being the Liberal Democratic Party.

Major parties

*Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) "Jiyū Minshu-tō", or "Jimin-tō" 自民党 (conservative, 1955-)
**The LDP is Japan's largest political party and the senior partner in the current governing coalition. Prime Minister Taro Aso is a member of this political party. It is a conservative party and is made up of various conservative and reformist factions. The LDP has been in power almost continuously since 1955, when it was formed as a merger of early postwar Japan's two conservative parties, the Liberal Party of Japan, Occupation, and the Democrat Party of Japan, Occupation. The party is characterized as being very conservative on social and foreign matters.
*Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) "Minshutō" 民主党 (social liberal 1998-)
**The DPJ is Japan's second largest party and leads the opposition. It is a social liberal party. It is the largest opposition party, and was formed in the late 1990s as a result of the merger of several anti-LDP parties. Quite liberal and oppositional on key issues, as well as moderately social-democratic. It is against the Iraq war, and was led by Seiji Maehara until the end of March 2006, when he resigned due to a crisis involving a DPJ member (Hisayasu Nagata) making false allegations that the son of LDP Secretary-General (Tsutomu Takebe) illicitly received money from former Livedoor president Takafumi Horie. Ichirō Ozawa is currently the DPJ party president.
*New Komeito* "Komeitō" 公明党 (conservative, theocratic Buddhist, 1998-)
**formerly Komeito (Former) (centrist, theocratic Buddhist, 1964-1998)
**formerly Komei Political Assembly (centrist, theocratic Buddhist, 1961-1964)
**The Shin Komeito Party (Japanese name for the New Komeito) is Japan's third largest party and the governing party's junior partner. It was formerly known as the Clean Government Political Assembly and the Komeito. The party is a conservative party of the right-wing, but it is also well supported by organizations like the Soka Gakkai, a sect of Nichiren Buddhism. Therefore, it is also considered a theocratic Buddhist party. It has moderated its stance however. Because of its partnership with the LDP, it supports the war in Iraq. It is now led by Takenori Kanzaki.
*Japanese Communist Party (JCP) "Nihon Kyōsan-tō" 日本共産党 (communist, 1922-)
**The Japanese Communist Party is Japan's fourth largest party and the middle partner of the opposition coalition. It is a communist party of the left-wing. Though it is communist, it is not against religion. It supports multi-party democracy and does not advocate the imposition of radical change on Japanese society. While it now recognises the Emperor as a figurehead head-of-state, it opposes his involvement in official functions and JCP members boycott official functions where he is present. It is considered pacifist and skeptical of the United States.
*Social Democratic Party (Japan) (SDP) "Shakai Minshutō", or "Shamin-tō" 社民党 (social-democratic, 1996-)
** formerly Japan Socialist Party (JSP) "Nihon Shakai-tō" 日本社会党 (social-democratic, 1945-1996)
***a breakaway group formerly known as the Democratic Socialist Party (Japan), now defunct, (social-democratic, 1960-1996)
****in 1948 split up into the Rightist Socialist Party of Japan, (social-democratic, 1948-1955), and Leftist Socialist Party of Japan, (communist, 1948-1955), in 1955, reunified into JSP.

Minor parties

Existing national parties currently represented in the Diet

*Dissidents from the LDP formed the following parties in 2005 :
**People's New Party (PNP) "Kokumin Shintō" (conservative, 2005-)
**New Party Nippon (NPN) "Shintō Nippon" (centrist, 2005-)
**New Party Daichi (NPD) "Shintō Daichi" (Hokkaidō, conservative, 2005-)
**Political Group of Okinawa Revolution "Seitō Sōzō" (Okinawa, conservative, 2005-)
* Okinawa Social Mass Party "Okinawa Shakai Taishū Tō" (Okinawa, socialist, 1950-)
**The party is largely regional, but has 1 seat in the National Diet as well.

*Reform Club "Kaikaku Kurabu" (centrist, 2008-)

Existing national parties represented in the Diet in the past

Current political parties that used to be in the Diet but aren't currently represented:
*"Rikken Yōseikai" (far right, 1923-1942, 1946-)
* Dainiin Club "Dainiin Kurabu" (centrist, 1983-)
*New Party for Salaried Men "Sararīman Shintō" (centrist, 1983-)
*Liberal League "Jiyū Rengō" (conservative, 1994-)
* New Socialist Party "Shin Shakai Tō" (socialist, 1996-)
* Sports and Peace Party "Supōtsu Heiwa Tō" (centrist, 1989-)
* "Takeru" (centrist, 2001-)

Other parties

Japan has other minor parties not represented in Parliament (which have never been represented before), mostly with communist and socialist ideologies, as well as a few nationalist, reformist, and far right-wing parties. Some of them include:

* Rainbow and Greens "Niji to Midori" (green)
* Japan Greens (green)
* "Ishin Seitō Shimpū" (far right, 1995-)
* Women's Party (Japan) "Josei Tō" (Feminist, 1993-)
* Internet Breakthrough Party of Japan
**Led by Iron Chef Comentator and Judge and former LDP member Shinichirō Kurimoto

Regional parties

Some of the main regional parties represented in regional assemblies:
* Kanagawa Network Movement "Kanagawa Nettowāku Undō" (Kanagawa, socialist)
* Seikatsusha Network "Seikatsusha Nettowāku" (Tokyo, socialist)
*Green Niigata, "Midori Niigata" (Niigata, communist)
**formerly Niigata New Party for People, "Shimin Shin-tō Niigata" (Niigata, communist)
*Kariyushi Club "Kariyushi Kurabu" (Okinawa, independentist)
*New Party Daichi, Political Group of Okinawa Revolution, and Okinawa Social Mass Party are considered largely regional, although they have seats in the National Diet.

Defunct parties

* Association of Independents "Mushozoku no Kai" (centrist, 1999-2004)
** formerly House of Representatives Club "Sangiin Kurabu" (centrist, 1998-1999)
*New Conservative Party, (conservative, 2002-2003)
**formerly Conservative Party of Japan (2000), (conservative, 2000-2002)
*Liberal Party (1998), (liberal, 1998-2003)
*Democratic Party of Japan (1996), (liberal, 1996-1998)
*Good Governance Party, (liberal, 1998)
*New Fraternity Party, (liberal reformist, 1998)
*Sun Party, (liberal reformist, 1996-1998)
*Democratic Reform Party (liberal reformist, 1993-1998)
* Midori no Kaigi "Environmental Green Political Assembly" (ecologist conservative reformist, 2002-2004)
**formerlyThe Sakigake Party, (centrist reformist-ecologist, 1998-2002)
**formerly New Party Sakigake, (centrist reformist-ecologist, 1993-1998)
*New Peace Party, (conservative, 1997-1998)
*Japan New Party, (liberal, 1993-1996)
*Japan Renewal Party, (liberal, 1993-1994)
*New Frontier Party, (socialist/liberal, 1994-1997)
*Democratic Socialist Party (Japan), (social-democratic, 1960-1994 - broke off from JSP)
*Democratic Party of Japan, Occupation, (agrarian conservative, 1945-1955)
*Liberal Party of Japan, Occupation, (conservative, 1945-1955)
*Great Achievement Association, (conservative nationalist, 1889-1909)
**formerly Conservative Party of Japan (1880)
*Constitutional Liberal Party (Japan), (liberal, 1882-1931)
*Constitutional Progressive Party, (moderate liberal, 1882-1934)
*Liberal Party of Japan (1881), (liberal, 1881)
**formerly Aikokusha, (liberal, 1872-1881)

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ee also

*Liberalism in Japan