ABSTRACT
The four leaders examined in the previous chapters – Miki Takeo, Kaifu Toshiki, Miyazawa Kiichi, and Ozawa Ichirō – all share at least one common characteristic – seniority. Miki, Kaifu, and Miyazawa had all served as politicians long enough to attain the prime ministership. Although Ozawa never became head of state, he was a senior politician and had held numerous influential party positions. All these politicians had the same basic level of resources. They had connections within and outside the LDP. They also had access to the formal and informal policy-making process and had been privy to this process before achieving their positions of influence. The difference between successful and failed reform in these cases rested with the personal attributes of the leaders.
