ABSTRACT
This chapter first reviews the book as a whole and summarizes, in a comprehensive manner, what has occurred in Japan in the first two decades of the 21st century from the perspective of anxiety over governance. Then, a possible countervailing approach from the perspective of citizens is examined based on an analysis of the 2021 election. It is revealed that while criticizing the government in the face of anxiety over governance, many Japanese are little involved in politics, even in the face of the pandemic. Nevertheless, our findings still indicate a possible pathway for Japanese people to engage in politics from the basis of attempting to safeguard the values and happiness of their everyday lives. The book concludes by arguing that such grassroots movements are one way to reduce the anxiety over the governance of Japanese citizens.
