Shin Kanemaru and the Tragedy of Japan's Political System

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Shin Kanemaru (1914-1996) served as a key power broker at the national level in Japan from the 1970s until the early 1990s. He was at the heart of the '1955 system' of conservative political rule. Though never Prime Minister himself, he controlled or strongly influenced the administrations of five Japanese Prime Ministers.

Contents 1. The Young Kanemaru (1918-1958): Early Life and Career in Yamanashi Prefecture 2. Kanemaru as a Member of the National Diet (1958-1972) 3. Kanemaru as Cabinet Minister (1972-1978) 4. LDP Work Horse (1978-1986) 5. Stage Manager of Japan's 'Bubble Economy' Political World (1986-1989) 6. The King Without a Crown (1989-1992) 7. Cracks Appear in Kanemaru's 'Power Base': Yamanashi Prefecture in 1991 8. Skewered in Public, Humiliated Behind Bars (1992-1993): The Kingmaker Falls from Grace and Serves a Symbolic Penance 9. The Kanemaru Legacy

About the Author

Uldis Kruze is Associate Professor of History at the University of San Francisco, USA. His teaching covers the entire range of East Asian history, including the history of US-East Asian relations and his research interests have focused on postwar Japanese politics and Chinese politics. He is the author of San Francisco and the 1951 US-Japan Peace Treaty Conference (2001).

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About the Author