List of political parties in Japan

Political parties in Japan lists political parties in Japan.

Japan developed from a one party dominant state into a two-party system, which means that there are two dominant political parties, with extreme difficulty for anybody to achieve electoral success under the banner of any other party.

The general rule on naming applies. That means: the parties are named in the English translation and the original native name is placed on the first line of the article unless the native form is more commonly used in English than the English form. Rationale and specifics: See: Wikipedia:Naming conventions (use English).

Ways to browse Wikipedia for political parties are by name of the party, country, ideology or by membership of internationals and through the category system: especially by country and ideology.

Major Parties

National parties with significant representations in the Houses of National Diet as of August 2004.

• Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Jiyu Minshu To (conservative, 1955-)
• Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Minshu To (liberal, social-democratic 1998-)
• New Komeito (New Clean Government Party) Komei To (conservative, theocratic Buddhist, 1998-)
  • formerly Clean Government Party (Former) (socialist, theocratic Buddhist, 1964–1998)
  • formerly Clean Government Political Assembly (socialist, theocratic Buddhist, 1961–1964)
• Japanese Communist Party (JCP) Nihon Kyosan To (communist, 1922-)
• Social Democratic Party (SDP) Shakai Minshu To (socialist, 1996-)
  • formerly Japan Socialist Party (JSP) Nihon Shakai To (socialist, 1945–1996)
    • a breakaway group formerly known as the Democratic Socialist Party (Japan), now defunct, (social-democratic, 1960–1996)
      • in 1948 split up into the Rightist Socialist Party of Japan, (moderate social-democratic, 1948–1955), and Leftist Socialist Party of Japan, (extreme socialist, 1948–1955), in 1955, reunified into JSP.

Minor Parties

National Parties with Representations in the Diet

Other national parties and groups of independent MPs, represented in the Houses of National Diet as of August 2004.

• Liberal League Jiyu Rengo (liberal, 1994-)

Existing National Parties with Representations in the Diet in the Past

Current political parties which used to have representation in the Diet before but which do not now.

• Dainiin Club Dainiin Kurabu (centrist, 1983-)
• New Socialist Party Shin Shakai To (socialist, 1996-)
• Sports and Peace Party Supotsu Heiwa To (centrist, 1989-)
• Takeru (centrist, 2001-)

Other Parties

• Rainbow and Greens (green)
• Ishin Seito Shimpu (far-right, 1995-)
• Josei To (Feminist, 1993-)

Regional Parties

Some of the main regional parties with representations in regional assemblies.

• Kanagawa Network Movement Kanagawa Nettowaku Undo (Yokohama, socialist)
• Seikatsusha Network Seikatsusha Nettowaku (Tokyo, socialist)
• Okinawa Social Mass Party Okinawa Shakai Taishu To (Okinawa, socialist)
• Green Niigata, Midori Niigata (Niigata, communist)
  • formerly Niigata New Party for People, Shimin Shin-to Niigata (Niigata, communist)

Defunct Parties

• Association of Independents Mushozoku no Kai (centrist, 1999–2004)
  • formerly House of Representatives Club Sangiin Kurabu (centrist, 1998–1999)
• New Conservative Party, (conservative, 2002–2003)
  • formerly Conservative Party of Japan (2000), (conservative, 2000–2002)
• Liberal Party (1998), (liberal, 1998–2003)
• Democratic Party of Japan (1996), (liberal, 1996–1998)
• Good Governance Party, (liberal, 1998)
• New Fraternity Party, (liberal reformist, 1998)
• Sun Party, (liberal reformist, 1996–1998)
• Democratic Reform Party (liberal reformist, 1993–1998)
• Midori no Kaigi Environmental Green Political Assembly (ecologist conservative reformist, 2002–2004)
  • formerlyThe Sakigake Party, (conservative reformist-ecologist, 1998–2002)
  • formerly New Party Sakigake, (conservative reformist-ecologist, 1993–1998)
• New Peace Party, (conservative, 1997–1998)
• Japan New Party, (liberal, 1993–1996)
• Japan Renewal Party, (liberal, 1993–1994)
• New Frontier Party, (socialist/liberal, 1994–1997)
• Democratic Socialist Party (Japan), (social-democratic, 1960–1994 – broke off from JSP)
• Democratic Party of Japan, Occupation, (agrarian conservative, 1945–1955)
• Liberal Party of Japan, Occupation, (conservative, 1945–1955)
• Great Achievement Association, (conservative nationalist, 1889–1909)
  • formerly Conservative Party of Japan (1880)
• Constitutional Liberal Party (Japan), (liberal, 1882–1931)
• Constitutional Progressive Party, (moderate liberal, 1882–1934)
• Liberal Party of Japan (1881), (liberal, 1881)
  • formerly Aikokusha, (liberal, 1872–1881)

• Timeline of liberal parties in Japan

Japan has other minor parties not represented in Parliament (which have never been represented before), mostly reformist, liberal, nationalist, socialist, and communist parties.