JPOSS

Patricia Maclachlan (University of Texas at Austin), "Mechanisms of Resistance: Informal Institutional Impediments to Japanese Postal Privatization"
2023-11-09 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
U.S. ET: November 9 (Thursday), 8 – 9 PM
JST: November 10 (Friday), 10 – 11 AM
Zoom Registration: Link.
Paper is available here.
Author: Patricia Maclachlan (University of Texas at Austin)
Abstract:
Nearly two decades after Koizumi Jun’ichirō passed his landmark legislation, the postal privatization process has lost its momentum. Japan Post Mail is in the red, the profit margins of the banking and insurance firms are shrinking, government remains by far the largest shareholder in the two financial firms, and stories abound of fraud and wasteful spending. Of course, no reform agenda ever lives up the intentions of its architects. But what exactly explains these developments? One answer, I argue, is the impact of enduring informal institutional practices (e.g., amakudari and quotas (noruma) for the postmaster’s mobilization of votes) on the privatization process. This paper demonstrates that by functioning as vehicles for anti-reformist elite coordination and competition across the economic, political, and bureaucratic domains connected to the postal services, these unofficial but enduring practices have weakened political momentum behind the privatization agenda and hence the implementation of privatization rules and principles. In addition to presenting new explanations for anti-reformist interest group influence within the Japanese political economy, this study offers theoretical insights into the nature, functions, and significance of informal institutions in “coordinated market economies.”
Presenter: Patricia Maclachlan (University of Texas at Austin)
Discussants: Daniel M. Brinks (University of Texas at Austin) and Steven Vogel (University of California, Berkeley)
Chair: Amy Catalinac (New York University)

Masaru Nishikawa (Tsuda University), "Career Trajectory of Political Scientists’ Publication in the First and Second Language: Japan as an example of internationalization of political science, 1971-2023"
2023-10-26 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. ET: October 26 (Thursday), 8 – 9 PM
JST: October 27 (Friday), 9 – 10 AM
Zoom Registration: Link.
Paper is available here.
Authors: Akira Matsui (Yokohama National University), Masaru Nishikawa (Tsuda University), and Daisuke Sakai (Independent Researcher)
Abstract:
This paper discusses the “science of science” and bibliometrics, which have made new findings on scientific practices, such as scientific patterns, scientific impact, and citation, but these studies have focused primarily on Western countries. However, there is little research on non-Western countries, such as Japan: the existing research is biased towards Western countries. The authors emphasize the need to study the internationalization of political science, including themes such as international co-authorship. This paper also points out the limitations of major citation databases, which cover only academic journals published in English. As a result, the text proposes a case study of Japanese political scientists who incorporate English and Japanese publications into their careers as a unique opportunity to study the internationalization of political science. After a literature review and a research question on how to define the internationalization of political science, the authors adopt multiple methods –descriptive statistics, text analysis, and network analysis — to answer the RQs.
Presenter: Masaru Nishikawa (Tsuda University)
Discussant: Alexander J. Gates (University of Virginia)
Chair: Daniel M. Smith (University of Pennsylvania)

Takaharu Saito (Nagoya University of Commerce and Business), "Does Divided Government Control Unilateral Policymaking? Evidence from Chair Elections"
2023-08-24 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. ET: August 24 (Thursday), 8 – 9 PM
JST: August 25 (Friday), 9 – 10 AM
Zoom Registration: Link.
Paper is available here.
Author: Takaharu Saito (Nagoya University of Commerce and Business)
Abstract:
Unilateral action remains a crucial aspect of presidential policy formulation, yet empirical consensus on the role of executive-legislative relations remains elusive. In this research, we applied a Regression Discontinuity (RD) design to scrutinize 4,898 chairperson elections across 790 municipal governments in Japan, revealing no substantial influence of executive-legislative dynamics on unilateral action. Consequently, this study underscores the possibility that the utility of established theories might be contextually confined to specific temporal and geographical realms.
Presenter: Takaharu Saito (Nagoya University of Commerce and Business)
Discussants: Alex Bolton (Emory University) and Charles McClean (Yale University)
Chair: Phillip Lipscy (University of Toronto)

Yusaku Horiuchi (Dartmouth), Saori Katada (USC), & Megumi Naoi (UCSD), "Professionalization Session: Strategies for Teaching Japanese Politics"
2023-07-20 20:00 - 21:15
U.S. ET: July 20 (Thursday), 8 – 9:15 PM

JST: July 21 (Friday), 9 – 10:15 AM
Zoom Registration: Link.
Goals:
As part of our professionalization series, we will discuss strategies to teach about Japan in political science. We will discuss (1) ways to teach about Japan, as a standalone Japanese politics course, as a case study in general comparative/IR courses (e.g. electoral politics, political economy etc.), or part of a course focused on a world region (e.g. East Asian politics or IPE); and (2) strategies to engage students at three different levels–undergraduate, MA, and PhD–and to encourage and advise them to incorporate Japan in their research. As many of us are creating or revising course syllabi at this time, we hope this session will be useful for JPOSS participants.
Presenters: Yusaku Horiuchi (Dartmouth College), Saori Katada (University of Southern California), Megumi Naoi (University of California, San Diego)

Boyoon Lee (Vanderbilt University), "Moderating Role of Country-of-Origin Stereotypes on Attitudes Towards Immigrants"
2023-06-08 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. ET: June 8 (Thursday), 8 – 9 PM
JST: June 9 (Friday), 9 – 10 AM
Zoom Registration: Link.
Paper is available here.
Author: Boyoon Lee (Vanderbilt University)
Abstract:
How do country-of-origin stereotypes influence native attitudes towards immigrants? Drawing on dual processing models of stereotypes from social psychology, I present three different ways that country-of-origin stereotypes might moderate how natives respond to information about immigrants. I use a conjoint experiment in Japan to examine how country-of-origin stereotypes related to competence and warmth, the two basic dimensions of stereotypes proposed by Fiske et al. (2002), condition the way that natives evaluate information about immigrant attributes when deciding their willingness to accept immigrants. I find that while negative country-of-origin stereotypes always reduce the value of these attributes, there is little evidence that positive stereotypes, especially as they relate to competence, have any moderating effect. My findings suggest that negative country-of-origin stereotypes weigh more heavily when natives process information that might affect their preferences for immigrant acceptance.
Presenter: Boyoon Lee (Vanderbilt University)
Discussants: Jeremy Ferwerda (Dartmouth College) and Michael Strausz (Texas Christian University)
Chair: Yusaku Horiuchi (Dartmouth College)

Hiroki Takeuchi (Southern Methodist University), Keely McNeme (Southern Methodist University), "Comparative One-Party Rule: Japan and Mexico Compared"
2023-05-18 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. ET: May 18 (Thursday), 8 – 9 PM
JST: May 19 (Friday), 9 – 10 AM
Zoom Registration: Link
Paper is available here.
Authors: Hiroki Takeuchi (Southern Methodist University) and Keely McNeme (Southern Methodist University)
Abstract:
A critical aspect of democracies is the peaceful transition of power between multiple parties through fair and free elections. Although a
party may remain in power for subsequent terms, decades of staying in power typically indicate a rigged electoral system. Japan and
Mexico in the twentieth century offer two interesting cases. A single party dominated both for several decades—Japan by the Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP) from 1955 to 2009 while Mexico by the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) from 1929 to 2000—but Japan was
classified as a democracy while Mexico was classified as authoritarianism. Both the LDP and the PRI were known for electoral
clientelism and corruption. Given the surface-level similarities of one-party rule between these two countries, what makes these different
classifications? Moreover, after experiencing the loss of power in the twenty-first century, the LDP is still the dominant party in Japanese
politics, while the PRI is not in Mexican politics anymore now that both are classified as electoral democracies. What explains the
divergent trajectories taken by these two former one-party ruling parties?
Presenters: Hiroki Takeuchi (Southern Methodist University) and Keely McNeme (Southern Methodist University)
Discussants: Masaaki Higashijima (University of Tokyo) and Len Schoppa (University of Virginia)
Chair: Charles Crabtree (Dartmouth College)

Etienne Gagnon (University of Tokyo), "Good News or Bad News? Political Social Media Messaging During the Tokyo Olympics"
2023-04-20 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. ET: April 20 (Thursday), 8 – 9 PM
JST: April 21 (Friday), 9 – 10 AM
Zoom Registration: Link
Paper is available here
Authors: Etienne Gagnon (University of Tokyo), Kenneth McElwain (University of Tokyo), and Yuya Shibuya (University of Tokyo)
Abstract:
Sporting events that are unrelated to political competence can nevertheless improve politicians’ standing among voters. The impact of
such cues rests on two assumptions: that voters view sporting events positively, and that politicians seek credit for them. We examine
these linkages in a context where both assumptions may be violated: the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Olympics were politically divisive, as
they were held amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, politicians may have hesitated from lauding Olympics achievements lest they be accused of downplaying Covid’s dangers. We examine this strategic dilemma through two types of analyses. First, we conduct
topic clustering and sentiment analysis of politicians’ social media messages and show two patterns. Governing party (LDP) politicians
engaged in quantitatively more, and tonally more positive, messaging during the Olympics. LDP politicians were also more likely to post
positively about the Olympics when an athlete from their prefecture won a medal. Second, we examine pre- and post-Olympics changes
in public sentiment using multi-wave survey data. Those whose views towards the Olympics became more favorable were more likely to
change their party affinity to the LDP and to evaluate the prime minister’s handling of Covid positively. Overall, our analysis suggests that despite the LDP’s tentative social media messaging about the Olympics, the event itself seems to have borne political fruit.
Presenter: Etienne Gagnon (University of Tokyo)
Discussants: Eunji Kim (Columbia University), Neil Malhotra (Stanford University)
Chair: Daniel M. Smith (Columbia University)

Austin Mitchell (Tohoku University), "Show Me the Money: Explaining Fiscal Capacity Building in Late 16th Century Japan"
2023-03-02 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. ET: March 2 (Thursday), 8 – 9 PM
JST: March 3 (Friday), 10 – 11 AM
Zoom Registration: Link
Paper is available here
Author: Austin Mitchell (Tohoku University), Minzhao Wang (Peking University), and Weiwen Yin (University of Macau)
Abstract:
How do rulers develop fiscal capacity in the process of state-building? In this paper, we propose a mechanism for how rulers implement fiscal capacity building according to their incentives for revenue extraction. Specifically, rulers prioritize implementing fiscal capacity building policies that can overcome the asymmetric information problem between central and local governments in areas where potential extractable revenue is large. We test the hypotheses using the context of late 16th century Japan where Toyotomi Hideyoshi implemented cadastral surveys (taiko kenchi) as an effort of state-building. Based on a panel of provinces between 1582-1598 in Japan, we find that localities with larger potential output were the primary targets of the land surveys, while neither involvement in the invasion of Korea nor opposition against Hideyoshi predict survey implementation. The results suggest that revenue extraction motivates how state-building is pursued to a greater extent than a locality’s exposure to external or internal competitions.
Presenter: Austin Mitchell (Tohoku University)
Discussants: David Stasavage (New York University), Junichi Yamasaki (Kobe University)
Chair: Amy Catalinac (New York University)

Phillip Lipscy (University of Toronto), "Japan: The Harbinger State"
2023-02-02 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. ET: Feb 2 (Thursday), 8 – 9 PM
JST: Feb 3 (Friday), 10 – 11 AM
Registration: Link.
Paper is available here.
Author: Phillip Y. Lipscy (University of Toronto)
About the session:
In this state-of-the-field community conversation, Phillip Lipscy will begin by presenting his ideas and data from his recent essay, “Japan: The Harbinger State,” part of a special issue of the Japanese Journal of Political Science (JJPS) honoring Susan J. Pharr’s contributions to the study of Japanese politics. JPOSS faculty organizers and participants will respond and share their ideas about how they invoke Japan in their political science research and publication strategies.
Presenters: Phillip Y. Lipscy (University of Toronto)
Chair: Christina L. Davis (Harvard University)

Yusaku Horiuchi (Dartmouth College) and Atsushi Tago (Waseda University), "The Pretty Pragmatic Public: Japanese Public Opinion During the Afghanistan Evacuation"
2022-12-15 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. ET: Dec 15 (Thursday), 8 – 9 PM
JST: Dec 16 (Friday), 10 – 11 AM
Registration: Link.
Paper is available here.
Authors: Yusaku Horiuchi (Dartmouth College) and Atsushi Tago (Waseda University)
Abstract:
Although the need for the U.S. to work with Japan during a future crisis is ever increasing, we do not yet have a sufficient understanding of what Japanese citizens think about security policies and possible military actions. We leveraged on an extremely rare opportunity in which the Japanese government decided to dispatch its de facto military, the Self-Defense Forces (SDFs), overseas for a high-risk operation, the evacuation from Afghanistan in August 2021. Specifically, we conducted “real-time” survey experiments in this context to test some hypotheses relevant to the theoretical literature on international relations: reliability of alliances, civilian control, and sensitivity to casualty. Furthermore, we also fielded other survey experiments to examine Japanese people’s attitudes when they face various hypothetical crises. Our analysis suggests that Japanese citizens are “pretty pragmatic” in their opinions on foreign policy issues. We discuss nuanced differences in their attitudes compared to Americans’ attitudes, which existing studies suggest as “pretty prudent” (Jentleson, 1992; Jentleson and Britton, 1998).
Presenters: Yusaku Horiuchi (Dartmouth College) and Atsushi Tago (Waseda University)
Discussants: Shoko Kohama (Hokkaido University) and Jonathan Renshon (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Chair: Amy Catalinac (New York University)

Christina Davis (Harvard University), Jialu Li (Harvard University), and Sayumi Miyano (Princeton University), “Following Peers and Competitors: How Business Managers Evaluate Firm Withdrawals from Russia”
2022-11-09 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. ET: Nov 9 (Wed), 8 – 9 PM
JST: Nov 10 (Thu), 10 – 11 AM
Registration: Link.
Paper is available here.
Authors: Christina Davis (Harvard University), Jialu Li (Harvard University), and Sayumi Miyano (Princeton University)
Abstract:
States have long used economic sanctions in response to violations of international law as a strategy to restore order. Increasingly, we also observe firms that reject doing business with violators. In response to the war in Ukraine, hundreds of multinational corporations (MNCs) voluntarily withdrew from Russia, even when policymakers were still debating the extent of sanctions. Why did private firms halt their business? We argue that peer pressure and competition generate a strategic interaction in the response of firms to international crises. We test our hypotheses with a survey experiment on Japanese firm managers conducted during the first few months of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. First, we find that news about withdrawal by other firms creates peer pressure and increases support for firm withdrawal. Withdrawal by firms from a diverse range of countries has a larger impact. Second, we find that news about some firms continuing business with the sanction target generates competition concerns and lowers support for firm withdrawal. Our research provides insight into why business actors take political stances during international conflicts.
Presenters: Christina Davis (Harvard University), Jialu Li (Harvard University), and Sayumi Miyano (Princeton University)
Discussants: Kristin Vekasi (University of Maine), Rachel Wellhausen (University of Texas at Austin)
Chair: Yusaku Horiuchi (Dartmouth College)

Reo Matsuzaki (Trinity College) and Fabian Drixler (Yale University), "The Politics of Omote and Naishō: Performative Compliance and Spaces of Impunity in Meiji Japan"
2022-10-06 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. ET: Oct 6 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: Oct 7 (Fri), 9 – 10 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Paper is available here.
Authors: Reo Matsuzaki (Trinity College) and Fabian Drixler (Yale University)
Abstract: Around 1900, at least 97 percent of homicide victims in Japan were newborn children. Official statistics obscured this fact by reporting only a handful of infanticides each year, but they also preserved it in the guise of impossibly frequent stillbirths. We argue that this striking failure of law enforcement did not reflect insufficient state capacity, but that this interaction is best understood as a performance of law-abidance, jointly delivered by subjects and officials to reconcile two conflicting values—the omote (façade) of the state’s legal protection of newborns and the naishō (tacit arrangement) of household autonomy over family planning and reproduction. Political performances are often seen as acts of domination, subversion, or resistance enacted within a conflictual arena pitting state against society. We observe instead a more collaborative dynamic that allows states to extend their reach into society while also respecting the autonomy of the population through compromise and indeterminacy.
Presenter: Reo Matsuzaki (Trinity College)
Discussants: Iza Yue Ding (University of Pittsburgh), Dan Mattingly (Yale University)
Chair: Charles Crabtree (Dartmouth College)

Jochen Rehmert (University of Zurich), Naofumi Fujimura (Kobe University), "Ideological Positions and Committee Chair Appointments"
2022-06-16 09:00 - 10:00
U.S. EDT: June 16 (Thu), 9 – 10 AM
JST: June 16 (Thu), 10 – 11 PM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Paper is available here.
Abstract:
Committee chairs hold crucial positions in the legislative process and can push or quell legislative initiatives. While extant studies examine the formal powers and legislative consequences of committee chairs, we know less about their appointment. We examine who ruling parties (principal) appoint to committee chairs (agent) in order to minimize the risk of policy moving away from government positions. Using data from Japan (2003 to 2017) we test expectations derived from the principal-agent framework, conditional on committee type. Japan makes an ideal case to study intra-party chair appointments due to its coalitions’ office allocation patterns. We find that cabinets appoint as chairs ideologically close MPs to committees with jurisdiction on high and foreign policy. However, we find no effect for chair appointments on particularistic committees. Our findings are robust across cabinets, parties and variation in committee classifications. These findings contribute to our understanding of political appointments and legislative processes.
Presenter: Jochen Rehmert (University of Zurich).
Discussants: Benjamin Nyblade (UCLA School of Law), Yoshikuni Ono (Waseda University).
Chair: Amy Catalinac (New York University).

Yujin Woo (Hitotsubashi University), Jaehyun Song (Kansai University), "Nationally Prioritized Migrant Groups and Public Reaction: Evidence from Framing and Conjoint Experiments in East Asia"
2022-06-09 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EDT: June 9 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: June 10 (Fri), 9 – 10 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Paper is available here.
Abstract:
The government frequently iterate their positions and preferences before its people to win their support. This paper investigates whether the repetitive government messages that prioritize certain migrant groups yield any impact on public perception of migrants. According to cognitive psychology literature, message repetition can positively influence the recipients’ opinions (truth effect) while overexposure can lead to the opposite (reactance). To assess these contradictory effects in the context of migration, we fielded online survey in Japan and South Korea (2020-2021) based on framing and conjoint experiments. The statistical analyses display nuanced interpretations. The respondents in both countries revealed similar preferences over migrant characteristics, such as gender, age, education level, and skill level. However, they did not react, either positively or negatively, to supposedly familiar government statements. Instead, they reacted more strongly and positively to a statement where the government proposed to prioritize somewhat uncommon or irregular migrant group. This finding seems to suggest people’s tendency to follow country-level information when they cannot evaluate the impact of certain policies or issues. In addition, the structure of integration seems to matter. The Korean respondents exhibited greater preference toward the idea of naturalization, which is generally associated with a provision of full rights as legitimate members of the society.
Presenter: Yujin Woo (Hitotsubashi University).
Discussants: Charles Crabtree (Dartmouth College), Kikuko Nagayoshi (University of Tokyo).
Chair: Phillip Y. Lipscy (University of Toronto).

Remembering Frances Rosenbluth: Scholar, Mentor, and Friend
2022-04-14 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EDT: April 14 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: April 15 (Fri), 9 – 10 AM
NOTE: Registration required.
Last November, we lost a brilliant scholar, inspirational mentor, and generous friend. She was one of the founding members of the Japanese Politics Online Seminar Series (JPOSS). In this session, we will gather together to honor and remember Professor Rosenbluth’s contributions to political science, with a focus on her work on Japanese politics, political institutions, and political economy.
Rafaela Dancygier, Tarek Masoud, Tom Pepinsky and Dawn Teele. “Frances McCall Rosenbluth, a Yale University scholar, understood Japanese politics and so much more.” The Washington Post, January 4, 2022.

Masaaki Higashijima (Tohoku University), Naoki Shimizu, Hidekuni Washida, Yuki Yanai, "Mass Reactions to Endogenous Election Timing: Evidence from Conjoint Experiments in Japan"
2022-03-03 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EST: March 3 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: March 4 (Fri), 10 – 11 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Paper is available here.
Abstract:
This paper explores when election timing maneuvering undermines procedural fairness of democratic elections. In parliamentary democracies, incumbents opportunistically time elections. In theorizing about how election timing manipulation affects mass perceptions of electoral fairness, we focus on structures of electoral competition. Besides conventional economic opportunism, we consider the following three factors – (1) cabinet support, (2) opposition coordination, and (3) individual partisanship – as moderators influencing mass reactions to election timing. A conjoint experiment conducted in Japan shows that election timing chicanery negatively affects popular perceptions of democratic fairness among independents, particularly when surrounding structures of the electoral field credibly signals election calling is pro-incumbent, i.e., when public support for the government is high and opposition parties fail to coordinate election campaigning. In contrast, government and opposition supporters are less sensitive to timing manipulation and positively evaluate electoral circumstances where their supporting parties have advantages in the first place.
Presenter: Masaaki Higashijima (Tohoku University).
Discussants: Sona N. Golder (Pennsylvania State University), Charles McClean (University of Michigan).
Chair: Yusaku Horiuchi (Dartmouth College).

Shusei Eshima (Harvard University), Yusaku Horiuchi (Dartmouth College), Shiro Kuriwaki (Stanford University/Yale University), Daniel M. Smith (Columbia University), "Winning Elections with Unpopular Policies: Understanding Single-Party Dominance in Japan"
2022-02-10 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EST: February 10 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: February 11 (Fri), 10 – 11 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Abstract:
Spatial theories of electoral competition assume that parties win votes by proposing popular policies. Other theories suggest the relevance of voters’ non-policy—or valence—considerations. To what extent do voters make their choices based on policies versus valence? We examine this fundamental question about electoral competition using the case of Japan—a multi- party democracy with a single dominant party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Specifically, we develop a novel measure of multidimensional policy preferences based on conjoint experiments fielded during the 2017 and 2021 House of Representatives elections, and relate this measure to voting intentions. We find that voters’ policy preferences are positively associated with their choices. At the same time, our analysis reveals that the LDP enjoys a strong valence advantage despite proposing policies that are, on the whole, less popular among voters. These findings speak to longstanding questions of electoral competition and (non-)policy voting in multidimensional issue spaces, and help to explain the continued dominance of the LDP.
Presenters: Shusei Eshima (Harvard University), Yusaku Horiuchi (Dartmouth College), Shiro Kuriwaki (Stanford University/Yale University), Daniel M. Smith (Columbia University).
Discussants: Eric Guntermann (University of California, Berkeley), Chris Tausanovitch (University of California, Los Angeles).
Chair: Amy Catalinac (New York University).

"Field Research When There’s Limited Access to the Field: Lessons From Japan"
2022-01-27 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EST: January 27 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: January 28 (Fri), 10 – 11 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Paper can be found here.
Co-authors:

Kenya Amano (University of Washington)
Melanie Sayuri Dominguez (University of New Mexico)
Timothy Fraser (Northeastern University)
Etienne Gagnon (University of Tokyo)
Trevor Incerti (Yale University)
Jinhyuk Jang (Pennsylvania State University)
Charles T. McClean (University of Michigan)
Austin M. Mitchell (Tohoku University)
Sayumi Miyano (Princeton University)
Colin Moreshead (Yale University)
Harunobu Saijo (Duke University)
Diana Stanescu (Stanford University)
Ayumi Teraoka (Princeton University)
Hikaru Yamagishi (Yale University)
Charmaine N. Willis (University at Albany, State University of New York)
Yujin Woo (Waseda University)
Charles Crabtree (Dartmouth College)

Chair: Daniel M. Smith (Columbia University).

Ryan Scoville (Marquette University Law School), "Official Knowledge of Foreign Relations Law in U.S.-Japan Relations"
2022-01-13 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EST: January 13 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: January 14 (Fri), 10 – 11 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Paper can be found here.
Abstract:
Arguments in the field of U.S. foreign relations law typically proceed from the inside out: legal actors focus on internal (domestic) sources of authority to reach conclusions with significant external (international) implications. The text and structure of the Constitution, case law, legislative intent, assessments of institutional competency, and historical practice thus dominate debates about treaty-making, war powers, diplomatic authorities, and related matters. This tendency reflects generic assumptions about the proper modalities of legal analysis and helps to ensure that the law reflects national values.
Yet inside-out arguments overlook a critical fact: the practical merits of U.S. foreign relations law often depend on whether and how this law is understood abroad. In other words, the nature and extent of foreign governmental knowledge of U.S. foreign relations law significantly affect the law’s ability to advance U.S. national interests, but there is neither theoretical nor empirical scholarship on the stakes or condition of such knowledge. Nor are there official U.S. policies to ascertain or account for this form of foreign knowledge. In these circumstances, American legal actors cannot fully apprehend whether the law is well designed and applied to achieve its purposes.
This Article elaborates on these issues to develop an “outside in” approach to U.S. foreign relations law. The Article begins by explaining the value of meta-knowledge—domestic knowledge of foreign knowledge of U.S. foreign relations law. The Article then uses original empirical research to generate meta-knowledge. That research includes an immersive case study on Japan, where I collected academic publications, searched newspaper archives, obtained government records under Japan’s freedom-of-information act, and interviewed dozens of scholars and government officials to triangulate Japanese understandings of U.S. foreign relations law. The Article concludes by laying out an agenda to cultivate additional meta-knowledge, reevaluate the law’s practical merits in light of epistemic conditions, and optimize foreign sophistication through legal and policy reforms.
Presenter: Ryan Scoville (Marquette University Law School).
Discussants: Kevin Cope (University of Virginia School of Law), Andrew Oros (Washington College).
Chair: Charles Crabtree (Dartmouth College).

Pinar Temocin (Hiroshima University), "Rethinking Environmental Mobilization: Civic Engagement in Post Fukushima Japan"
2021-12-02 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EST: December 2 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: December 3 (Fri), 10 – 11 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Paper can be found here.
Abstract:
This study focuses on the interaction between environmental civil society organizations (ECSOs) and the Japanese state to find out how these actors have framed, articulated, and interpreted their goals for a nuclear-free policy and sustainable energy realities in the post-Fukushima era (3/11). It analyzes the extent to which environmental civil society actors have been influential in the energy decision-making process since 3/11.
It highlights the socio-political dimensions of nuclear energy issue including the efficacy level of ECSOs, the degree of functionality of governance, the interaction between vertical and horizontal dimensions of state-civil society partnership, and the dynamics of energy policy formation, implementation and development in contemporary Japan. It aims to play a reflective role on the nexus of energy politics, deliberative environmentalism, collective behavior.
Presenter: Pinar Temocin (Hiroshima University).
Discussants: Mary Alice Haddad (Wesleyan University), Yasuo Takao (Curtin University).
Chair: Phillip Y. Lipscy (University of Toronto).

Daniel Koss (Harvard University), "Evolving Linkage Strategies: The Resilience of the LDP-Postmasters Alliance"
2021-11-04 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EDT: November 4 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: November 5 (Fri), 9 – 10 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Paper is available here.
Abstract:
To build linkages with citizens, parties piggyback on the networks of partner associations. This research note explores the enduring alliance between the LDP and the postmasters, assessing to which the party’s reach comes at the expense of its autonomy. The alliance used to epitomize Japan’s costly machine politics, until the postal reform of 2005 was to shake off political capture. Examining career trajectories, this note first shows that the partners have quickly found back together, albeit on new terms. Distilling information from political finance data, the note then describes institutions that underpin the partnership, such as cross-financing schemes to rebuild trust. Finally, by geographically mapping postal linkages in space, the note illustrates the electoral value of the linkages and shows striking spatial associations between postal presence and electoral performance. The postal connection builds bridges between Tokyo and the countryside, warding off political alienation. The case illuminates the path-dependent evolution of the LDP’s organizational infrastructure: Instead of radically breaking with the past, the party nimbly adjusts inherited linkage strategies.
Presenter: Daniel Koss (Harvard University).
Discussants: Naofumi Fujimura (Kobe University), Patricia Maclachlan (University of Texas, Austin).
Chair: Daniel M. Smith (Columbia University).

June Park (Princeton University), “Weaponized Supply Chains: How U.S.-China Race for AI Supremacy Shapes Japan-Korea Chip War"
2021-10-21 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EDT: October 21 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: October 22 (Fri), 9 – 10 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Presenter: June Park (Princeton University).
Chair: Phillip Y. Lipscy (University of Toronto).
This seminar is part of the Special Series on Japan-U.S. Cooperation in Digital Governance.

John W. Cheng (Tsuda University), Masaru Nishikawa (Tsuda University), Ikuma Ogura (Georgetown University), Nicholas A. R. Fraser (University of California, Berkeley), "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: Willingness to Pay for Online Conspiracy Theory Content – Evidence from Japan"
2021-10-14 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EDT: October 14 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: October 15 (Fri), 9 – 10 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Abstract:
This study examines whether conspiracy believers in Japan are willing to act on their beliefs using a concept from economics known as willingness to pay. Specifically, we conducted a conjoint experiment (n=1,098) to test whether people are willing to pay for a hypothetical online video channel that offers conspiracy theory content. The results show that around 5% of the participants were willing to pay for the channel, and those who relied more on social media than mainstream media for news were more likely to pay. That is, by using monetary value as a proxy, we find that although their number is relatively small, some individuals are willing to pay for (act on) their conspiracy beliefs.
Paper is available here.
Presenters: John W. Cheng (Tsuda University), Masaru Nishikawa (Tsuda University), Ikuma Ogura (Georgetown University), Nicholas A. R. Fraser (University of California, Berkeley).
Discussants: Masato Kajimoto (University of Hong Kong), Joseph Uscinski (University of Miami).
Chair: Amy Catalinac (New York University).

Panel: "Career Paths and Job Market Strategies for Japan Scholars"
2021-09-23 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EDT: September 23 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: September 24 (Fri), 9 – 10 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Panelists: Sherry L. Martin (U.S. Department of State), Kenneth Mori McElwain (University of Tokyo), Kristin Vekasi (Harvard Program on U.S.-Japan Relations; University of Maine).
Chair: Christina L. Davis (Harvard University).
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Charmaine Willis (University at Albany, SUNY), "Framing the Conversation: the US Military and Anti-US-Military Activism in Japan"
2021-08-05 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EDT: August 5 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: August 6 (Fri), 9 – 10 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Abstract:
Since the end of WWII, the US has maintained a military presence in Japan with bases spread throughout the archipelago. Tensions emerge periodically between the base presence and the local population, particularly on the southernmost island of Okinawa. The US military presence in Okinawa has elicited more local resistance than its presence in mainland Japan, despite large and strategically important bases there. Until recently, previous research on anti-US-base protests in Japan has taken for granted the disparity in protest activity between Okinawa and the Japanese mainland, failing to examine the possible reasons for this difference. This study seeks to discern why the US bases in Okinawa have elicited more protest than the bases on the Japanese mainland through a mixed-method analysis that employs an original protest event dataset, activist and elite interviews, and primary sources. I argue that the difference is primarily rooted in divergent protest framing and discursive opportunity structures. When the US military presence is visible, as in Okinawa, anti-US-military activists’ frames are more likely to resonate. Additionally, communities like Okinawa that have been historically marginalized by the central government and/or the US are more likely to support anti-US-military activism vis-à-vis protests. This study endeavors not only to answer the questions surrounding anti-US protest disparity in Japan, but also to contribute to the understanding of under what conditions sustained protest mobilization emerges.
Paper can be found here.
Presenter: Charmaine Willis (University at Albany, SUNY).
Discussants: Yoshiaki Kubo (Indiana University Bloomington; University of the Ryukyus), Andrew Yeo (Catholic University of America).
Chair: Amy Catalinac (New York University).

Cana Kim (Louisiana State University), "The Failed Reconciliation between North Korea and Japan"
2021-07-15 09:00 - 10:00
U.S. EDT: July 15 (Thu), 9 – 10 AM
JST: July 15 (Thu), 10 – 11 PM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Abstract:
This study aims to explore the crossover between interstate reconciliation and negotiation by tracing 15 years of normalization efforts between Japan and North Korea. The existing theories of interstate negotiation cannot explain the entire process and outcomes of Japan-DPRK normalization talks in a unified framework. Instead, I situate the negotiation within the subtext of the reconciliation process, of which the primary condition is to eradicate the existing threat perception between former adversaries. To assess this argument, I draw seven hypotheses regarding the effect of threat perceptions on negotiation strategies and outcomes, based on the theory of remembrance. Findings revealed that, under the context of reconciliation, the two countries added issues related to their own threat perception and employed hard-bargaining strategies on the threat perception issues. Furthermore, an apologetic remembrance could not function as a meaningful signal when it contradicted other signals or the previous stance on the issue.
Paper is available here.
Presenter: Cana Kim (Louisiana State University).
Discussants: Thomas Berger (Boston University), Yinan He (Lehigh University).
Chair: Yusaku Horiuchi (Dartmouth College).

Hiroki Takeuchi (Southern Methodist University), "Global Value Chains and Domestic Politics Response to Trade: China, Japan, and the United States Compared"
2021-06-24 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EDT: June 24 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: June 25 (Fri), 9 – 10 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Abstract:
During the 1990s, the nature of globalization began to change. Fragmentation of manufacturing led to the development of global value chains (GVCs) by multinational corporations, and it has become common practice for different stages of manufacturing production to be located in different countries. GVCs based intra-industry trade requires a different kind of rule-making for international trade, and it has changed the political economy of domestic response to international trade agreements. Domestic politics of foreign economic policy differs depending on the state’s domestic political and economic institutions as well as the nature of the international economic agreement. Interestingly, the free trade agreements for GVCs based trade such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership–which is now the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership–tend to be intrusive, which require the signatories to commit to politically sensitive domestic economic reforms–such as the state-owned enterprise reform in China. This paper explores how the spread of GVCs has changed political economy of domestic response to international trade. Its scope is limited to an analysis of China, Japan, and the United States, as lessons from these three countries could translate to other countries.
Paper is available here.
Presenter: Hiroki Takeuchi (Southern Methodist University).
Discussants: Patricia Maclachlan (University of Texas at Austin), Ka Zeng (University of Arkansas).
Chair: Phillip Lipscy (University of Toronto).

Yu Jin Woo (Waseda University), Ikuo Kume (Waseda University), "Taking Gains from Trade (More) Seriously: The Effects of Consumer Perspective on Free Trade in Contemporary Japan"
2021-06-10 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EDT: June 10 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: June 11 (Fri), 9 – 10 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Abstract:
How did the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) persistently pursue the TPP negotiations without harming its overall public support? In understanding individuals’ preferences toward trade liberalization, the traditional literature on international political economy has typically examined their comparative advantage as producers, which arises from their specific or general skill level or employment concerns. What needs to be taken into account, however, is that their economic preferences are constructed based upon their intertwined identities as both producers and consumers. Using a unique survey design, we conducted an experiment in Japan (2015) that shows that consumer effect reduces individuals’ concerns on income level or employment when they are exposed to consumer and employment primings simultaneously. Furthermore, our subgroup analyses reveal that the consumer effect remains powerful even for economically fragile individuals while the LDP supporters are particularly susceptible to the consumer priming. In sum, our findings speculate that the LDP enjoyed a sustained public support due to Japanese people’s increasing price sensitivity, which is especially strong among pro-LDP individuals.
Paper is available here.
Presenter: Yu Jin Woo (Waseda University).
Discussants: Eddie Hearn (Musashi University), Soo Yeon Kim (National University of Singapore).
Chair: Christina L. Davis (Harvard University).

Yesola Kweon (Utah State University), ByeongHwa Choi (National Taiwan University), "Elderly Identity and Trade Policy Preferences in an Aging Society: Evidence from Japan"
2021-05-27 20:00 - 21:00
U.S. EDT: May 27 (Thu), 8 – 9 PM
JST: May 28 (Fri), 9 – 10 AM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Abstract:
Standard economic models of trade emphasize production ownership and industrial sectors as key determinants of trade policy preferences. Such emphasis directs the focus of previous studies onto working-age individuals, and as a result, the policy preferences of older citizens are often not considered. This is because senior citizens are assumed to be favorable toward trade as they assess the topic only as consumers who stand to benefit from more affordable imported goods. Thought to be outside of the workforce, elderly people are considered to no longer hold a producer’s perspective in evaluating trade policy. Using survey experiment data from Japan, a prototypical aging society, we argue that the trade policy preferences of the elderly depend on regional demographic structures. We find that in aged regions where elderly poverty is a more pressing issue, senior citizens are more likely to oppose trade. In addition, those living in graying regions are also more sensitive to a producer-priming rather than a consumer-priming of population aging issues, further reinforcing their opposition to trade. In contrast to the conventional view that the old and the young have conflicting policy preferences, the growing worker identity among the elderly implies a potential intergenerational convergence in policy preference. In addition, our study suggests that as more senior citizens re-enter the labor market in the context of rapid population aging, the competition among workers for low-quality jobs and hostility toward trade openness is likely to intensify.
Paper is available here.
Presenter: Yesola Kweon (Utah State University).
Discussants: Andy Baker (University of Colorado Boulder), Megumi Naoi (University of California, San Diego).
Chair: Amy Catalinac (New York University).

Kentaro Fukumoto (Gakushuin University), Charles McClean (Harvard University), Kuninori Nakagawa (Shizuoka University), "Shut Down Schools, Knock Down the Virus?"
2021-05-13 09:00 - 10:00
U.S. EDT: May 13 (Thu), 9 – 10 AM
JST: May 13 (Thurs), 10 – 11 PM
NOTE: Registration required! Link.
Abstract:
As COVID-19 spread in March 2020, most countries shut down schools in the hopes of slowing the pandemic. Since then, many countries have reopened schools, with varying degrees of success. Yet, we lack research that investigates the effectiveness of these policies in a systematic way. Our study aims to estimate the causal effects of school closures and reopenings on the number of coronavirus infections. To do so, we apply matching methods to municipal-level data in Japan. We find that school closures were not associated with a reduction in the spread of the coronavirus. Our results thus suggest that policies on school closures should be reexamined given the potential negative consequences for childhood learning and development.
Paper is available here.
Presenter: Kentaro Fukumoto (Gakushuin University).
Discussant: Kenneth Mori McElwain (University of Tokyo).
Chair: Yusaku Horiuchi (Dartmouth College).
