ABSTRACT
The most powerful LDP politician in Nagano, Hata Tsutomu, was leader of the faction that left the LDP to become Shinsei, and, as such, he served as prime minister of Japan. Nagano highlights three other important factors. First, ideology does play a role in Japanese politics. Second, many explain LDP success in terms of Japan's electoral system, and the opposition's success in recent Nagano HC elections gives this argument credibility. Third, changes in Nagano over the 1990s also indicate the impact of Japan's clientelistic and centralised political system. The opposition seemed to have a foothold in the district, but continued realignment turned the situation upside down. When Hata left the NFP to form Taiyoutou in December 1996, Kosaka joined him and when the NFP fell completely apart, Kosaka joined the bulk of the anti-Ozawa, former NFP forces in forming Minseitou in January 1998.
