Dr Masato Kamikubo will examine how Japan’s unique political structure shapes its political landscape and how it differs from or resembles other democratic countries around the world. Specifically, he will discuss the uniqueness of the Liberal Democratic Party’s ‘catch-all party’ system and how it has suppressed populism in Japan, compared with global democratic trends.

Additionally, he will analyse the emergence of new political forces such as ‘digital innovation groups’ driven by digitalisation, and the resulting shifts in political fault lines. The aim is to provide a concise overview of the future of Japanese politics and the broad implications of the elections.

About The contributors

Masato Kamikubo

Masato Kamikubo is a Professor at the Graduate School of Policy Science, Ritsumeikan University. He earned his PhD in Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick. He was previously a Visiting Assistant Professor at Waseda University’s Global Institute for Asian Regional Integration; a Lecturer at the School of International Liberal Studies, Waseda University; and a Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Rikkyo University. His research interests focus on the policy-making processes for both domestic and foreign policies in Japan.