| This study examines the role of Japanese prime minister in policymaking: whether or not the role of Japanese prime minister in policymaking is important; and what are the conditions for amplifying or distracting his role. The administrative reform of the 1980s was unique and suggestive since, along with other significances, the role of prime minister, Nakasone Yasuhiro, was greatly appreciated during the process along with that of Doko Toshio. In examining the role of Japanese prime minister, this thesis will trace down two processes of administrative reform and tax reform where the Fukuda, Ohira, Suzuki, Nakasone, and Takeshita cabinets will be compared.;Against the traditional assessment of deemphasizing his role in policymaking, this study attempts to show the importance of the Japanese prime minister's role. His role is presupposed to be increased if the conditions of "issue pregnancy" and leadership committment are satisfied; that is, the structural and cultural constraints are presupposed to be overcome if the problem were properly recognized, its solution were matchingly selected, and leadership commitment were strong and correctly aimed. As the bases of such arguments, this thesis points to three elements: the ascent of politicians' status in policymaking, represented by the appearance of "zoku" Dietmen, the upsurge of public advisory councils, and the ascriptive tendency of Japanese policymaking that is formed by the combination of the prolonged nature of policy debate and the frequent leadership circulation.;The examination reveals an interesting three-stage pattern of policy change, which confirms this study's proposition that the satisfaction of two conditions would amplify the role of prime minister. Three stages include the first one of issue immaturity, the second one of ill-aimed leadership commitment, and the third one of issue realization. This pattern shows on the one hand that Japanese prime minister does not exhibit his initiative much. On the other hand, it also shows that he is more than a rubber stamp. Despite the readily-set problem and the narrowly-defined solution, Japanese prime minister still has room for his role in coming with the strategies and carrying them out, whose actions are not much affected by the bureaucratic power but by the situational needs and his own leadership elements. Thus, it is argued that Japanese prime minister is also an important policy sponsor which Campbell coined the term and used to describe the role of the bureaucracy in policymaking. (Abstract shortened by UMI.). |
