{"product_id":"factional-politics-in-the-liberal-democratic-party-explaining-change-and-continuity-in-japans-economic-statecraft-9781009609005","title":"Factional Politics in the Liberal Democratic Party: Explaining Change and Continuity in Japan's Economic Statecraft","description":"What explains change and continuity in Japan's economic statecraft? This Element examines the interplay between factional dynamics in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Japan's foreign policy through two cases: Japan's unprecedented decision to impose severe sanctions on Russia following its 2022 Ukraine invasion, and its decades-long ASEAN strategy amid political uncertainty and great power competition. The authors find that factional balance or the outsized influence of a large faction facilitates abrupt political-economic shifts, sustained until a similar dynamic triggers correction. Unlike most systems, Japan's intra-party politics do not lead to full leadership turnover, enabling factions to influence policy while empowering non-leadership members to drive change. This dual role strengthens barriers to change, embedding political inertia. Using factional membership data from 1961 to 2024, they argue that factions are a more systematic unit of analysis than political entrepreneurs in understanding the relationship between Japan's domestic politics and foreign policy decisions.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Cambridge University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51415085252882,"sku":"9781009609005","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_0dfdfff4-ab88-4962-8f67-84a92dffb1e1.jpg?v=1751128871","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/factional-politics-in-the-liberal-democratic-party-explaining-change-and-continuity-in-japans-economic-statecraft-9781009609005","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}