How is Kantei Diplomacy Back? : Comparison of Kantei-led Security Policy Making Process between Koizumi and Abe

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to discover how prime ministers office (Kantei) is at the center of Japans security policy making. This research particularly focuses on the parallel comparison between Koizumi and Abe regimes security policy making process while analyzing interaction among Kantei, politicians, bureaucrats and public opinion. Conventional academic discourses on the prime minister in Japans policy making are simply divided into three parts: prime ministers power is weak, strong or changeable depending on prime ministers individual leadership style. However, dichotomous thinking of whether the prime minister is merely strong or weak based on institutional factors or individual characteristic cannot effectively explain the sudden rise and fall of Japanese prime ministers leadership from 2001 to 2015 and paying attention to the organization of Kantei and its dynamism with politicians, bureaucracy and public opinion is important. Therefore, the paper deals with dynamics of policy making process among Kantei, politicians, bureaucrats and the public. Based on the result of comparison between Koizumi and second Abe administrations Kantei diplomacy, author argues that, with institutional benefit, both Koizumi and Abes Kantei which is comprised of professional and influential people were at the center of policy making process and effectively prevented the opposition from veto players such as politicians, bureaucrats and public. However, on the other hand, Koizumi and Abe had different strategies and Abe Kantei is more powerful than Koizumi Kantei because he holds veto players more tightly in his grip. Moreover, the comparison with weak premiership from 2006 to 2012 presents that it is convincing that strong Kantei leadership is back when Kantei which is organized by qualified and powerful people should overcome the influence from three veto players including politicians, bureaucrats and the public.