Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Liberal Democratic Party 自由民主党 Jiyū-Minshutō
Abbreviation	LDP Jimintō
President	Fumio Kishida
Vice President	Tarō Asō
Secretary-General	Toshimitsu Motegi
Founders	Ichiro Hatoyama Taketora Ogata
Founded	15 November 1955; 69 years ago (1955-11-15)
Merger of	Liberal Party Japan Democratic Party
Headquarters	11–23, Nagatachō 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo 100-8910, Japan
Newspaper	Jiyu Minshu
Student wing	LDP Students Division
Youth wing	LDP Youth [ja]
Membership	1,136,445 (2021 est.)
Ideology	Conservatism (Japanese) Japanese nationalism
Political position	Right-wing
International affiliation	Asia Pacific Democrat Union
Colours	Red (official)      Green (customary)
Slogan	"To a new Japan with the voice of the region."
Anthem	"We"
Councillors	117 / 248
Representatives	259 / 465
Prefectures	1,301 / 2,644
Municipalities	2,137 / 29,135
Party flag
Website
Japanese English

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also known as Jimintō (自民党), is a major political party in Japan. It is known for its conservative views and focus on Japanese national interests.

The LDP was created in 1955 when two conservative parties, the Liberal Party and the Japan Democratic Party, joined together. Since then, the LDP has been in power for most of the time. This long period of rule is sometimes called the 1955 System. They were out of power only for short times, like from 1993 to 1994 and from 2009 to 2012.

During their time in power, the LDP helped Japan recover from World War II. They also guided the country through a period of amazing economic growth. After being out of government for a few years, the LDP won a big election in 2012. They have been leading the government ever since, often working with another party called Komeito.

The LDP is often called a "big tent" party because it includes many different viewpoints. However, it is generally seen as a right-wing and conservative party. The party usually supports increasing spending on defense. In recent years, they have also focused on keeping strong ties with allies in the Indo-Pacific region. This helps balance the growing influence of China.

The party has always had different groups, called factions, within it. These factions often compete for power and influence. The current leader of the LDP and Prime Minister of Japan is Fumio Kishida.

History of the LDP

How the Party Started

Launching convention, 15 November 1955. This is when the LDP officially began.

The LDP was formed in 1955. It was a merger of two conservative parties: the Liberal Party and the Japan Democratic Party. Their main goal was to unite against the popular Japan Socialist Party.

After its formation, the LDP quickly won elections. By 1955, Japan had its first conservative government with a strong majority. The LDP kept this majority until 1993.

In its early years, the LDP focused on improving Japan's international relationships. They helped Japan join the United Nations and set up diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union. The LDP became the main governing party, winning most elections in the 1950s. Their main opponents were left-wing parties.

From the 1960s to the 1990s

During much of the 1960s, Eisaku Satō led both the LDP and Japan. Important events during this time included Tokyo hosting the 1964 Summer Olympics. Japan also remained neutral during the Vietnam War.

By the late 1970s, the LDP faced some challenges. Even though they were still in power, several issues affected the party. Other parties, like the Komeito, started to gain more support.

In 1976, some younger LDP members left to form a new party. However, this new party later rejoined the LDP. During this period, Japan also changed its diplomatic ties from Taiwan to the People's Republic of China. This happened due to pressure from other parties and the international community.

In 1983, the LDP became a founding member of the International Democrat Union.

The Liberal Democratic Hall Building, which is the main headquarters of the LDP in Tokyo.

The LDP won elections consistently for over 30 years. This long period in power helped them create a very stable way of making policies. The LDP's strength came from a strong group of supporters. This group included big businesses, small businesses, farmers, and other professional groups.

Government officials worked closely with the party and these groups. They helped create and carry out policies. This system helped Japan achieve economic growth and become a stable, middle-class country.

However, by the late 1980s, the LDP started to lose some support. This was due to unpopular policies and issues involving some of their leaders. In 1989, the party lost its majority in the House of Councillors for the first time in 34 years.

Out of Power Briefly

The LDP managed to win the 1990 election, but with fewer seats. In 1993, some members left the party to form new groups. This led to the LDP losing its majority in the July 1993 election. It was the first time they were not the main governing party since 1955.

Seven opposition parties, including some formed by former LDP members, created a new government. Morihiro Hosokawa became the Prime Minister. However, the LDP was still the largest single party in the House of Representatives.

In 1994, the LDP formed a new coalition with the Japan Socialist Party. This was surprising because they had been rivals for 40 years. This new coalition allowed the LDP to return to power.

From 1996 to 2009

In the 1996 election, the LDP gained more seats but still did not have a full majority. However, no other party could form a government. So, Ryutaro Hashimoto formed an LDP-led government. Within a year, the LDP regained its majority.

The party faced strong opposition when the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) was formed in 1998. The DPJ started to gain momentum in elections, especially in 2003 and 2004.

In the 2003 election, the LDP won 237 seats, and the DPJ won 177. In 2004, the LDP lost some seats in the House of Councillors election. The LDP formed a coalition government with the New Komeito party.

After a big victory in the 2005 election, the LDP had a strong majority. Shinzo Abe became the party president and Prime Minister in 2006. However, the party lost its majority in the upper house in the 2007 election.

The LDP remained the largest party in both houses of the Diet. In 2007, Yasuo Fukuda became the LDP president. He resigned in 2008, and Tarō Asō became Prime Minister.

In the 2009 general election, the LDP suffered a major defeat. They won only 118 seats, their worst result in modern Japanese history. This was the first real change in political power in Japan since the war. Aso resigned as LDP president. Sadakazu Tanigaki was elected as the new leader.

From 2009 to Today

After the 2009 election, the LDP's support continued to drop. Prime Ministers changed quickly. Many party members left to join or form new parties.

However, the LDP had some success in the 2010 House of Councillors election. This prevented the DPJ from having a majority. Shinzo Abe became president again in September 2012.

The LDP returned to power with its ally New Komeito. They won a clear majority in the December 2012 election. Shinzo Abe became Prime Minister for the second time.

In 2015, the party supported expanding Japan's military powers. This would allow them to participate in foreign conflicts.

Yoshihide Suga took over from Shinzo Abe in September 2020. After Suga decided not to run again, Fumio Kishida became the new leader. Kishida led the party to victory in the October 2021 general election.

In 2024, some LDP factions announced they would dissolve. This happened after issues involving campaign funds. Several LDP lawmakers were charged and resigned from the party.

What the LDP Believes In

The LDP is generally known for its conservative views. It is also associated with Japanese nationalism and is considered a right-wing party. The LDP has been described in many ways, including conservative-liberal and social-conservative.

The party does not have one single, clear ideology. Because it has been in power for so long, it is often called a "catch-all" party. This means it tries to appeal to a wide range of voters.

Many LDP ministers, including current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, are connected to a traditionalist group called Nippon Kaigi. In Japanese politics, the LDP is usually seen as being on the conservative side.

The LDP can also be compared to conservative parties in other countries, like Germany. It is open to government involvement in the economy and public spending.

Past Beliefs

In the past, the LDP government had more control over the economy than Western conservative governments. It was also closer to social democracy. Since the 1970s, the party started to include social security and pollution control policies. They did this to gain more supporters.

2021 Party Plan

During the 2021 general election, the LDP released its policy plan. It was called "Create a new era together with you." Here are some of the things it included:

• Sharing wealth to help Japan's economy and support the middle class.
• Giving tax breaks to companies that raise wages for their workers.
• Improving government systems to make them more digital.
• Investing a lot in science and technology, and giving more money for university research.
• Making sure Japan has a steady supply of important materials.
• Continuing to develop nuclear fusion power and expanding renewable energy. The goal is to become carbon neutral by 2050.
• Working towards the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
• Offering help to businesses that want to move into new industries.
• Using electronic COVID-19 vaccine passports.
• Giving more support to small and medium businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Changing Japan's Constitution to officially recognize the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
• Increasing Japan's defense budget to "two percent or more" of its total economy. This would improve Japan's defense abilities.
• Working to understand and support LGBT rights. However, the party does not support same-sex marriage.
• Accepting more foreign workers to help with labor shortages.
• Supporting Taiwan's efforts to join trade agreements and the World Health Organization.
• Promoting nuclear disarmament and preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.

How the LDP is Organized

The most important person in the LDP is the president. A president can serve up to three three-year terms. When the LDP has the most seats in parliament, the party president becomes the Prime Minister.

The party president is chosen by a party meeting. This meeting includes members of the Diet and local LDP figures. In the past, the most powerful party leaders often made the decision together. To make the system more democratic, a "primary" system was introduced in 1978. However, it was later changed back to the older method.

After the president, the most important LDP officials are the Secretary-General, the chairman of the Executive Council, and the chairman of the Policy Affairs Research Council.

Current Leadership

As of January 10, 2024, here are some of the LDP's key leaders:

Party Groups (Factions)

Since the LDP was formed in 1955, different groups, called factions, have existed within the party. These factions have changed over time, but their roots can be traced back to the party's beginning. This shows how stable these groups are within the LDP.

The party's history has always involved strong competition between these factions. Currently, LDP members in parliament are divided into six main factions. Each of these groups tries to gain influence within the party and the government. The current Prime Minister and party president, Fumio Kishida, used to lead a faction called Kōchikai.

Here are some of the current factions in the LDP:

Party Members

In 1991, the LDP had over 5.5 million members. By December 2017, this number had dropped to about one million members.

Election Results

House of Representatives Elections

House of Representatives

Election	Leader	No. of candidates	Seats			Position	Constituency votes		PR Block votes		Status
			No.	±	Share		No.	Share	No.	Share
1958	Nobusuke Kishi	413	289 / 467		61.8%	1st	22,976,846	57.80%			Government
1960	Hayato Ikeda	399	300 / 467	11	64.2%	1st	22,740,272	57.56%			Government
1963		359	283 / 467	17	60.5%	1st	22,423,915	54.67%			Government
1967	Eisaku Satō	342	277 / 486	6	56.9%	1st	22,447,838	48.80%			Government
1969		328	288 / 486	11	59.2%	1st	22,381,570	47.63%			Government
1972	Kakuei Tanaka	339	271 / 491	17	55.1%	1st	24,563,199	46.85%			Government
1976	Takeo Miki	320	249 / 511	22	48.7%	1st	23,653,626	41.78%			Government
1979	Masayoshi Ōhira	322	248 / 511	1	48.5%	1st	24,084,131	44.59%			Government
1980		310	284 / 511	36	55.5%	1st	28,262,442	47.88%			Government
1983	Yasuhiro Nakasone	339	250 / 511	34	48.9%	1st	25,982,785	45.76%			LDP-NLC coalition
1986		322	300 / 512	50	58.5%	1st	29,875,501	49.42%			Government
1990	Toshiki Kaifu	338	275 / 512	25	53.7%	1st	30,315,417	46.14%			Government
1993	Kiichi Miyazawa	285	223 / 511	52	43.6%	1st	22,999,646	36.62%			Opposition (until 1994)
											LDP-JSP-NPS coalition (since 1994)
1996	Ryutaro Hashimoto	355	239 / 500	16	47.8%	1st	21,836,096	38.63%	18,205,955	32.76%	LDP-SDP-NPS coalition
2000	Yoshirō Mori	337	233 / 480	6	48.5%	1st	24,945,806	40.97%	16,943,425	28.31%	LDP-Komeito-NCP coalition
2003	Junichiro Koizumi	336	237 / 480	4	49.3%	1st	26,089,326	43.85%	20,660,185	34.96%	LDP-Komeito coalition
2005		346	296 / 480	59	61.6%	1st	32,518,389	47.80%	25,887,798	38.20%	LDP-Komeito coalition
2009	Tarō Asō	326	119 / 480	177	24.7%	2nd	27,301,982	38.68%	18,810,217	26.73%	Opposition
2012	Shinzo Abe	337	294 / 480	175	61.2%	1st	25,643,309	43.01%	16,624,457	27.79%	LDP-Komeito coalition
2014		352	291 / 475	3	61.2%	1st	25,461,427	48.10%	17,658,916	33.11%	LDP-Komeito coalition
2017		332	284 / 465	7	61.0%	1st	26,719,032	48.21%	18,555,717	33.28%	LDP-Komeito coalition
2021	Fumio Kishida	338	259 / 465	25	55.7%	1st	27,626,235	48.08%	19,914,883	34.66%	LDP-Komeito coalition

House of Councillors Elections

Logos

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  The LDP's logo (used before 2017)

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  The LDP's red logo (used since 2017)

See also

In Spanish: Partido Liberal Democrático (Japón) para niños