Paper
Douglas H. Paal
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Source: Getty
Q&A
The Significance of Japan’s New Government
While the election victory of the Democratic Party of Japan could alter regional dynamics and the U.S.-Japan alliance, it is unlikely to cause significant changes to the bilateral relationship in the long-run.
Published on Sep 16, 2009
The dramatic election victory of the Democratic Party of Japan marks the end of a half-century of nearly uninterrupted rule by the Liberal Democratic Party and could alter regional dynamics and the U.S.-Japan alliance. Two weeks after the party won national elections, Yukio Hatoyama formally took power as prime minister on September 16. In a new video Q&A, Douglas Paal, Carnegie’s vice president for studies, explains the significance of the new government and its impact on Japan’s relations with the United States.
Paal says the elections signaled “the initiation of a two-party system in Japan.” The U.S. will need to work hard to accomplish what the two countries normally accomplish, but in the end it is unlikely that Tokyo’s foreign policies will significantly change and Washington’s strategies in Asia “will not be deeply affected by this.”
About the Author
Douglas H. Paal
Distinguished Fellow, Asia Program
Paal previously served as vice chairman of JPMorgan Chase International and as unofficial U.S. representative to Taiwan as director of the American Institute in Taiwan.
- America’s Future in a Dynamic Asia
- U.S.-China Relations at the Forty-Year MarkQ&A
- +1
Douglas H. Paal, Tong Zhao, Chen Qi, …
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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