Is Japan really a democracy?

[General Lee]

Japan is too united to be considered a democracy.

To even need a democracy to settle disputes, first you have to have disputes.

The Japanese people are too subserviant and obedient to require a democracy.

 

[Yan]

The politics of Japan take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister of Japan is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament; the Diet with the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. In academic studies, Japan is generally considered a constitutional monarchy, based largely upon the British system with strong influences from European continental civil law countries such as the German Bundestag. For example, in 1896 the Japanese government established Minpo, the Civil Code, on the French model. With post-World War II modifications, the code remains in effect in present-day Japan. [1]

Japan isn't a democracy, it is a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy.

 

[General Lee]

Japan isn't a democracy, it is a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy.

Sounds like a little bit of everything.

How does that work?

 

[Yan]

Sounds like a little bit of everything.
How does that work?

Wikipedia is your friend!

 

[hotaruika]

wikipedia say Japan is democracy and constitutional monarchy.

 

[wedontneed]

I believed that if one country change their regime to democracy by goverments, people can't assimilate democracy but if this change make by people like in France, there won't be a problem to assimilate democracy. So other countries should wait assimilate democracy ...

 

[Al-Kindi]

there is not one country in the world that ’really’ is an democracy......look at the US and remember that a 2 party system is just one step away from a dictatorship....same here in the Netherlands were we also have a flawed system..........if Japan isn’t a ’democracy’ than the US/many EU countries aren’t a democracy as well........



**** democracy anyway......

 

[El P8s]

A real democracy should protect the rights and the freedoms of it’s citizens.
Most western countries have been abolishing laws,amendments etc. ,that guarante these rights.
Therefore I don’t believe there are effectivly no national democracys left on this planet.

 

[Astroboy]

Level of Democracy

Japan: Universal male suffrage from 1926, and Universal male & female sufferage from 1945
USA: Universal sufferage male from 1788, but universal sufferage including African-American commenced from 1971.
China: Nobody know.


USA is one of the countries that recently introduced Universal Sufferage.

 

[Sukotto]

Level of Democracy
Japan: Universal male suffrage from 1926, and Universal male & female sufferage from 1945
USA: Universal sufferage male from 1788, but universal sufferage including African-American commenced from 1971.
China: Nobody know.
USA is one of the countries that recently introduced Universal Sufferage.

But then you have in the year 2000 C.E. in the United States, in Florida, many voting discrepancies. Anything from tens of thousands of supposed felons taken off voter rolls (that turned out to not be felons but have similar names), to road blocks set up in various neighborhoods to block or discourage voters from showing up.

2004 had its own discrepancies as well in Ohio.

 

[theAlphaDuck]

watch a fiml called "bullworth"

see what democracy REALLY is

 

[Amathev]

After reading the posts in this thread I'm going to say Japan is a democracy.
And hey, we all know how the Japanese are able to take foreign things and make them better, maybe they'll perfect the system some day.

 

[JerseyBoy]

Personally speaking, I am disgusted with Japanese politics (and its version on democracy--my personal affiliation is the low tax and individual rights). There is no popular revolt by the Japanese people. I think this is part of how the society is made in the conformist mentality. i've been in USA for many years and I simply cannot understand why people just go with the herd as if they are a herd of cow which is led into the slaughter house obediently. I have never cast a vote in Japan (I simply gave us on the country). I am on my way out to USA on the semi-permanent term now.

 

[Astroboy]

So you think U.S. democracy's dying? Well, you're probably right
To Americans and non-Americans alike, I recommend "Just How Stupid Are We?" (Don't answer that.) This is a fascinating study of the American political mind by historian Rick Shenkman, founder of Virginia-based George Mason University's popular Web site, History News Network.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20081005rp.html

It is likely that Japanese democracy is better than USA.

 

[JerseyBoy]

It is likely that Japanese democracy is better than USA.

At least, American electorate voted in Barack Obama as the next president. I simply cannot foresee the Japanese nominating the inspirational Prime Minister (They keep voting in the sleep-inducing old farts in to the Diet). Democracy is an imperfect system (as any system created by humans would be imperfect). But, in my opinion, American system is better than Japan.

 

[Astroboy]

At least, American electorate voted in Barack Obama as the next president. I simply cannot foresee the Japanese nominating the inspirational Prime Minister (They keep voting in the sleep-inducing old farts in to the Diet). Democracy is an imperfect system (as any system created by humans would be imperfect). But, in my opinion, American system is better than Japan.

According to your definition, "Democracy" need "Change".
US citizen seem to like "Change".

8 years ago, you chose G.W. Bush for "Change", and now you chose Obama for "Change".

For your reference .... Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system. Democracy - Wikipedia

"Change" is not essential but a free electoral system is. "Short temper" demanding "Change" often make things worse as 8 years ago.

 

[JerseyBoy]

According to your definition, "Democracy" need "Change".
US citizen seem to like "Change".
8 years ago, you chose G.W. Bush for "Change", and now you chose Obama for "Change".
For your reference .... Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system. Democracy - Wikipedia
"Change" is not essential but a free electoral system is. "Short temper" demanding "Change" often make things worse as 8 years ago.

As I said, no human-made system is perfect. My take is that American system is better than Japanese one. This is based on my own experience and the actual mileage may vary for other people. I was disgusted with the G W Bush policies and am not going to give a blank check of approval to the American system. But, in the relative term, the Japanese system (or rather what is being practiced in Japan) is very pathetic (the conformist at its worst).

 

[caster51]

As I said, no human-made system is perfect. My take is that American system is better than Japanese one.

We shoud conshider Jean-Jacques Rousseau's thought why we have to choose democracy.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau - Wikipedia

 

[Amathev]

Democracy Index - Wikipedia
Japan is at #17
The US is at#18.

I guess that should say atleast something.

 

[Haruspex]

Considering that Japan has a chiefly Romano-German legal system, at least the frame can be called democratic. Having no personal experience of the actual political and legal state, I can not comment on the actual state of affairs. But I would love to hear more opinions from those who actually have something to say on the matter.
Another thing: adherence to law enacted in accordance with steps of lawmaking accepted by the majority of the population defines democratic, and not the enactment of laws that hold human rights in high regard.

 

[JerseyBoy]

Democracy Index - Wikipedia
Japan is at #17
The US is at#18.

I guess that should say atleast something.

Actually, it does not.
I bet Wiki's ranking is skewed against the USA (more liberals on Wiki in the USA????). When the LDP has ruled the country over 50 years, there is something wrong with that political environment. No political party should have a monopoly in governing the country for that long. The lack of viable opposition parties in Japan is one of the reasons Japan will remain as a prisoner of its own unelected bureaucrats. I think Japan is on the wrong path to its own dwindling economic demise, unless there is some big change in its politics. Japan is a socialist country through and through and the business and the government are twin brothers.

No countries are perfect as there are so many different opinions on what is right and wrong in terms of politics.

 

[3aw]

thankkkkksssssssssss

 

[Otto]

I guess now we finally know. It is a democracy. The opposition has finally won.