Japan's New Nationalism Where The Steering

Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi broke Japan’s post-cold-war government-corporate dural structure with radical Neo-nationalism constructions. He stepped down from office before the establishment of a national political community, and thus shifting the focus of Japan’s Neo-nationalism from central government to local governments.During this transitional period, local governments turned out to be the most effective top-down approach in advocating Neo-nationalism ever since the Nakasone Yasuhiro administration. Gaining a national consensus, the final establishment of Neo-nationalism will lead to extreme conservatism and right deviation. The whole process covers three stages, including corporate community, local political community and national political community. The shift from central government to local governments is both a sign of maladjustment to imported democratic system and adaptation to Japan’s own social structures. Frequent regime changes caused by the two-party system undermined the central government’s authority while the long-existing decentralization facilitated the rise of local governments institutionally. Other stimuluses include Japan’s unique traditions such as Clan Politics, Gekokujo and the Mikado-centered dual political system. The center of Neo-nationalism shifted between central government and local governments frequently. Conservatives at central and local levels reached consensus and local forces restored the authority of LPD. It is foreseeable that substantial progress will be attained and thus pose daunting challenges to the Sino-Japan relationship.