ABSTRACT
The relationship between media and politics in Japan has markedly changed in the past several decades. Most notably, the role played by television in politics in general, and election campaigns in particular, has gained unparalleled significance. With the increased importance of television in relation to politics, many notable changes have occurred. For example, Flanagan (1996) contends that “As television has come increasingly to dominate perceptions of politics, it has altered the kinds of issues that dominate the political agenda” (p. 299). 1 Among other issues, this chapter focuses mainly on the role of television in election campaigns and provides an overview of research on media coverage of election campaigns and its influence on the general public in Japan. We begin with a brief overview of the political system and recent political trends in Japan, followed by a brief description of the Japanese media systems in order to provide the background information essential for understanding discussions in the subsequent sections; these will deal with the contents and effects of the news media’s election coverage.
