Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
After the end of the Showa Era, Japanese politics began to show signs of change until the 1993 election would lead to changes to the entire system and begin a new era of Japanese politics.
➤ Support this channel with my Patreon!: patreon.com/emperortigerstar
Pacific Front Untold: youtube.com/@PacificFrontUntold
00:00 - Eras of Japan
03:04 - 1980s Japanese Politics
08:08 - The 1993 General Election
11:03 - Uneasy Alliance
14:38 - New Alliance
18:44 - The New Normal
Music used:
All instrumentals used are royalty free and from "Goodnight Tokyo" created by "Mu Music". youtube.com/watch?v=KJQsGpCDX54
Primary Sources:
- James Sterngold. "Another Scandal in Japan, This Time Involving Billions." The New York Times, February 23, 1992. nytimes.com/1992/02/23/weekinreview/another-scandal-in-japan-this-time-involving-billions.html
- Jameson, Sam. “Miyazawa Government Falls, Forcing Election.” Los Angeles Times, June 19, 1993. latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-19-mn-4703-story.html.
- Sanger, David E. "Japan Admits It Set Up Army Brothels." The New York Times, July 7, 1992. nytimes.com/1992/07/07/world/japan-admits-it-set-up-army-brothels.html
- Sanger, David E. “Japanese Reject Old Guard But Splintered Vote Means a Struggle For A Coalition.” The New York Times, July 19, 1993. nytimes.com/1993/07/19/world/japanese-reject-old-guard-but-splintered-vote-means-a-struggle-for-a-coalition.html
- Sanger, David E. "Conversations/Morihiro Hosokawa; Profile in Political Descent: Japan's Once-Rising Star." The New York Times, April 10, 1994. nytimes.com/1994/04/10/weekinreview/conversations-morihiro-hosokawa-profile-political-descent-japan-s-once-rising.html
- Shiratori, Rei. “Political Data: Japanese Politics 1995.” European Journal of Political Research 30, no. 3–4 (December 1996): 399–404. doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6765.1996.tb00693.x.
- mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/taisen/pdfs/im_050804.pdf (Japanese, Kono Statement)
- mofa.go.jp/announce/press/pm/murayama/9508.html (Murayama Statement)
- youtube.com/watch?v=WY54ZUDNBUM (Japanese, 1993 Election Results TV Footage)
- youtube.com/watch?v=DcDobZw-zDs (1954 Riot in Japanese Diet)
- youtube.com/watch?v=FIFoqsqfcgM (Parliament dissolving, 1972)
- youtube.com/watch?v=d9h_DDsdT7Y (Miyazawa resigning)
Secondary Sources:
- Catalinac, Amy. “The Enduring Success of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party.” Chapter. In Dominance Through Division: Group-Based Clientelism in Japan, 24–72. Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2025.
- Christensen, Ray. Ending The LDP Hegemony: Party Cooperation in Japan. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2000.
- Dudden, Aaron, and Kozo Mizoguchi. “Abe’s Violent Denial: Japan’s Prime Minister and The ‘Comfort Women.’” Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus, March 1, 2007. apjjf.org/alexis-dudden/2368/article.
- Jain, Purnendra C. “A New Political Era in Japan: The 1993 Election.” Asian Survey 33, no. 11 (1993): 1071–82. doi.org/10.2307/2645000.
- “【6月18日は何の日】34年前、リクルート事件が発覚.” ツギノジダイ, June 18, 2022. smbiz.asahi.com/article/14604053. (Japanese, about 1988 Recruitment Crisis)
- Sullivan, Kevin. “Akihito Enthroned as 125th Emperor of Japan: From the Archive, 13 November 1990.” The Guardian, November 13, 2014. theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/13/akihito-japan-emperor-enthroned-125th.
- city.fukuyama.hiroshima.jp/uploaded/attachment/279268.pdf (Miyazawa's political history)
After the end of the Showa Era, Japanese politics began to show signs of change until the 1993 election would lead to changes to the entire system and begin a new era of Japanese politics.
➤ Support this channel with my Patreon!: patreon.com/emperortigerstar
Pacific Front Untold: youtube.com/@PacificFrontUntold
00:00 - Eras of Japan
03:04 - 1980s Japanese Politics
08:08 - The 1993 General Election
11:03 - Uneasy Alliance
14:38 - New Alliance
18:44 - The New Normal
Music used:
All instrumentals used are royalty free and from "Goodnight Tokyo" created by "Mu Music". youtube.com/watch?v=KJQsGpCDX54
Primary Sources:
- James Sterngold. "Another Scandal in Japan, This Time Involving Billions." The New York Times, February 23, 1992. nytimes.com/1992/02/23/weekinreview/another-scandal-in-japan-this-time-involving-billions.html
- Jameson, Sam. “Miyazawa Government Falls, Forcing Election.” Los Angeles Times, June 19, 1993. latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-19-mn-4703-story.html.
- Sanger, David E. "Japan Admits It Set Up Army Brothels." The New York Times, July 7, 1992. nytimes.com/1992/07/07/world/japan-admits-it-set-up-army-brothels.html
- Sanger, David E. “Japanese Reject Old Guard But Splintered Vote Means a Struggle For A Coalition.” The New York Times, July 19, 1993. nytimes.com/1993/07/19/world/japanese-reject-old-guard-but-splintered-vote-means-a-struggle-for-a-coalition.html
- Sanger, David E. "Conversations/Morihiro Hosokawa; Profile in Political Descent: Japan's Once-Rising Star." The New York Times, April 10, 1994. nytimes.com/1994/04/10/weekinreview/conversations-morihiro-hosokawa-profile-political-descent-japan-s-once-rising.html
- Shiratori, Rei. “Political Data: Japanese Politics 1995.” European Journal of Political Research 30, no. 3–4 (December 1996): 399–404. doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6765.1996.tb00693.x.
- mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/taisen/pdfs/im_050804.pdf (Japanese, Kono Statement)
- mofa.go.jp/announce/press/pm/murayama/9508.html (Murayama Statement)
- youtube.com/watch?v=WY54ZUDNBUM (Japanese, 1993 Election Results TV Footage)
- youtube.com/watch?v=DcDobZw-zDs (1954 Riot in Japanese Diet)
- youtube.com/watch?v=FIFoqsqfcgM (Parliament dissolving, 1972)
- youtube.com/watch?v=d9h_DDsdT7Y (Miyazawa resigning)
Secondary Sources:
- Catalinac, Amy. “The Enduring Success of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party.” Chapter. In Dominance Through Division: Group-Based Clientelism in Japan, 24–72. Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2025.
- Christensen, Ray. Ending The LDP Hegemony: Party Cooperation in Japan. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2000.
- Dudden, Aaron, and Kozo Mizoguchi. “Abe’s Violent Denial: Japan’s Prime Minister and The ‘Comfort Women.’” Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus, March 1, 2007. apjjf.org/alexis-dudden/2368/article.
- Jain, Purnendra C. “A New Political Era in Japan: The 1993 Election.” Asian Survey 33, no. 11 (1993): 1071–82. doi.org/10.2307/2645000.
- “【6月18日は何の日】34年前、リクルート事件が発覚.” ツギノジダイ, June 18, 2022. smbiz.asahi.com/article/14604053. (Japanese, about 1988 Recruitment Crisis)
- Sullivan, Kevin. “Akihito Enthroned as 125th Emperor of Japan: From the Archive, 13 November 1990.” The Guardian, November 13, 2014. theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/13/akihito-japan-emperor-enthroned-125th.
- city.fukuyama.hiroshima.jp/uploaded/attachment/279268.pdf (Miyazawa's political history)
