Liberal Democratic party, Japanese political party

Liberal Democratic party (LDP), Japanese political party. It began as the conservative Liberal party, which, under Shigeru Yoshida Yoshida doctrine, his policy for Japan's postwar recovery, consisted of focusing the country's resources on economic production supported by well-trained workers while adopting the United States's stance on issues of security and international politics.
..... Click the link for more information. , became the dominant political force in Japan following World War II. In 1955 the Liberals merged with the newly created Japan Democratic party. Retaining control of the Japanese government for 38 years, the LDP supported Japan's alliance with the United States and fostered close links between Japanese business and government. Following charges of corruption in Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa Miyazawa, Kiichi (kē-ē`chē mē'äzä`wä), 1919–, Japanese politician, b. Fukuyama.
..... Click the link for more information. 's government, it lost its parliamentary majority in the 1993 elections, which put a coalition government in power. In spite of numerous defections by LDP members of parliament over the party's failure to enact political reform, it remained Japan's largest political party. Since 1994, when the LDP returned to power, it has been the senior partner in a series of coalition governments. Ryutaro Hashimoto Hashimoto, Ryutaro (rē'
..... Click the link for more information. became LDP leader in 1995, assuming the post of deputy prime minister in Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama Murayama, Tomiichi (tō'mē-ē`chē m
..... Click the link for more information. 's cabinet. Upon Murayama's resignation early in 1996, Hashimoto became prime minister; Keizo Obuchi Obuchi, Keizo (kā`zō ōb
..... Click the link for more information. succeeded Hashimoto as party leader and prime minister in 1998. When Obuchi was incapacitated by a severe stroke in 2000, Yoshiro Mori Mori, Yoshiri, 1937–, Japanese politician, prime minister of Japan (2000–2001), b. Neagari. Born into a political family in rural Ishikawa prefecture and educated at Waseda Univ., he was a newspaper reporter before his first election to the Diet in 1969.
..... Click the link for more information. , secretary-general of the LDP, succeeded him as prime minister, but the unpopular Mori was replaced in less than a year by Junichiro Koizumi Koizumi, Junichiro (j
..... Click the link for more information. . Koizumi, who headed the LDP until 2006, was succeeded as party leader by Shinzo Abe Abe, Shinzo (shēn`zō ä`bā), 1954–, Japanese politician.
..... Click the link for more information. .

See also Postwar Japan under Japan Japan (jəpăn`), Jap. Nihon or Nippon, country (2005 est. pop.
..... Click the link for more information. .