EXPLORING THE DEFAULT DIMENSION IN JAPANESE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM SUPPORT DURING HARD TIMES

The paper examines democratic system support in Japan during the recent period of economic decline. It confronts the notion that contemporary Japanese political legitimacy is based primarily upon its economic achievements by asking whether a prolonged economic crisis has moved its citizens to embrace authoritarian forms of government. Data from two European surveys is used to compare the “default dimension” in Japanese democratic system support with other industrial democracies. While identifying a comparatively large degree of system apathy in Japan, I argue that the lack of support for alternative forms of government indicates democracy in Japan remains consolidated. In distinguishing the role that negative orientations toward the war-era government play in anchoring a participatory political culture I hope to create a better understanding of the particular characteristics of Japanese political legitimacy.