The Democratic Party of Japan

For more than five decades the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) dominated national politics in Japan. Except for a brief interlude, the LDP had been in government since 1955.¹ But finally, in August 2009, the LDP met the fate, which all dominant parties face eventually—they lose power. While the LDP had briefly experienced a loss of power in 1993/94, it still remained the largest party in parliament and, profiting from fissures within the then governing coalition, was soon able to assume the reins of power again. The blow which the LDP received at the hands of the voters in 2009 was, however, more devastating. In a landslide election, the LDP succumbed not only to its main challenger, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), but also lost nearly two-thirds of the seats it had held before in the Lower House. In effect, the tables got completely turned as a consequence of the 2009 election, with the DPJ becoming by far the biggest party in parliament (but choosing to govern with two small coalition partners to secure a working majority also in the Upper House).