Government and Politics of Modern Japan (Harvard, Spring 2026)

A survey of Japanese politics since the end of the Second World War. Topics include but are not limited to state, election campaigning, social movements, court, gender, public goods provision, and demographic change. Tracing critical issues in Japan’s political system and public policy from present to past, we will 1) analyze how various actors adjust their strategies in response to gradual economic and social changes; and 2) identify sources of Japan’s continuous political lock-in which sustains the Liberal Democratic Party’s dominance since 1955. This course will combine traditional lectures with in-class activities, including discussion, presentations, writing labs and a Q&A session with a guest speaker.