The LDP government and its backbenchers in desison making: 1955-1964

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03486
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Politics
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: Oku Kentaro 東海大学, 政治経済学部, 教授 (10512634)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 自民党 / 政務調査会 / 事前審査制 / 政府与党関係 / 党の一体性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The Japanese LDP’s government has had a unique decision making procedure called “Jizenshinsasei”. This research tried to make it clear why and how the procedure was established, shedding light on the period from 1955 to 1964.
As the outcome of this research, four academic papers were successfully published in three categories. First, two case studies regarding health and welfare policies illustrated in detail how the “Jizenshinsasei” worked at that time. Second, a paper analyzing data of meetings within the LDP quantitatively demonstrated the timing when the Jizenshinsasei was established, and it also identified the potential factors which helped the establishment. Third, a comparative analysis between Japan and Britain brought a hypothesis to explain the reason why the procedure was strongly needed in the Japanese LDP government.

Free Research Field

日本政治史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

昭和30年代は自民党の基盤、組織の運営方針が固まった重要な時期にもかかわらず、学術的な研究は少なかった。とりわけ、事前審査制というユニークな政策決定手続きは、現代政治学でも強い関心が払われてきたが、歴史的にどのようにその仕組みが形成され、定着したかという点について、史料に基づいて実証的に研究されることはなかった。その意味において、本研究は日本政治史研究だけでなく、日本の政治学一般に重要な含意を有する研究成果を挙げることができた。
さらに事前審査制という日本のユニークな仕組みは、議院内閣制の比較研究においても注目を浴びており、事前審査制の歴史的検証は重要な学術的意義を持ったと考える。