A new day, a new way: the Democratic Party of Japan's allocation of posts under the mixed-member majoritarian system

Abstract

In September 2009, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) won office, ending more than half a century of rule by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Accordingly, DPJ legislators assumed important posts in the cabinet and Diet. How did the DPJ assign legislative posts to its members under the existing mixed-member majoritarian system in order to pursue votes, office, and policies as compared to the LDP? This study finds that, similarly to the LDP, the DPJ used inter-factional balancing and seniority rules because each of these can contribute to the maintenance of party unity. But, in contrast, in order to receive more votes, the DPJ allocated most key posts to electorally stronger members, whereas the LDP allocated posts seen as valuable in terms of re-election to electorally vulnerable members since most DPJ legislators had a party-centred electoral style, and most LDP legislators had a candidate-centred style.