ABSTRACT
The Conclusion makes a comparison between Koizumi Jun’ichirō and Abe Shinzō, two prime LDP ministers who exercised strong leadership and built long-lasting governments after the political reforms of 1994. Prime minister Koizumi confronted the factions and policy tribes of his party and carried out neoliberal reforms, such as postal privatisation. In contrast, prime minister Abe cooperated with the factions to achieve internal party unity in order to compete with the DPJ, which has emerged as the second of Japan’s two major parties. At the same time, he has been developing right-wing ideas centring on Constitutional reform. The differences between Abe and Koizumi relate to this point and the former’s emphasis on the LDP’s support base rather than nonpartisan votes. This approach within the party has been sustained following the 2017 general elections.
