Japanese Modernity podcast (5): Stability and Disaffection in Postwar Politics

This episode dives into the “source code” of postwar Japanese politics—how a technocratic, conservative order has stayed remarkably stable since 1945, even amid public disaffection. Framed by Article 9’s pacifist identity and the U.S.–Japan alliance, the show uses Okinawa as a recurring stress test where constitutional ideals meet geopolitical reality. It traces the rise of bureaucratic stewardship and LDP dominance, showing how electoral reforms reshaped tactics without uprooting power. You’ll hear how local networks adapted from patronage to casework, and how symbolic “faith talk” (values, ritual, continuity) helps bind coalitions. The hosts distill four “cushions” that turn shocks into manageable friction—administrative resilience, alliance scaffolding, adaptive networks, and symbolic politics—while noting the costs: concentrated base burdens, high barriers to newcomers, and a narrowed policy imagination. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit japanesemodernity.substack.com