Japan

In parliamentary cabinet systems, parliament bears responsibility for all government actions, thus facilitating the fusion of power that provides the public with an opportunity at election to choose a government. This fusion of power makes the representative government accountable to the public. ¹ Executive performance relies not least on whether the cabinet has a stable parliamentary base, which determines the ability of the cabinet to get the desired legislative proposals through the parliament. At the same time, whether or not the general public supports the cabinet may have an independent impact on how successful the government can be in enacting legislation and implementing policies. Ultimately, the power base both inside and outside the parliament may significantly affect the conditions under which the executive demonstrates leadership qualities.