Institutions, Incentives and Electoral Participation in Japan: Cross-level and Cross-national Perspectives
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Author Description
American and European political scientists have claimed that subnational elections almost always record lower voter turnout than national elections. In Japan, however, municipal elections often record considerably higher turnout than national elections, particularly in small towns and villages. Institutions, Incentives and Electoral Participation in Japan theoretically and empirically explores this puzzling 'turnout twist' phenomenon from comparative perspectives. Based on the rational-choice approach, the book hypothesizes that relative voter turnout in subnational vs. national elections is determined by the relative magnitudes of how much is at stake ('election significance') and how much votes count ('vote significance') in these elections.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the paradoxical phenomenon in Japan where municipal elections frequently record higher voter turnout than national elections, challenging established Western political science theories. Author Yusaku Horiuchi, a political scientist specializing in Japanese electoral behavior, utilizes a rational-choice framework to analyze this discrepancy. He argues that voter turnout is a function of 'election significance' and 'vote significance,' providing a comparative model that accounts for the unique institutional incentives present in Japanese local governance. The work synthesizes empirical data from various Japanese municipalities to test these hypotheses against broader cross-national trends.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Comparative analysis of voter turnout rates between national and subnational elections in Japan.
- A rational-choice theoretical framework for measuring election and vote significance.
- Quantitative data sets derived from municipal and national electoral records.
- Cross-national perspectives that contrast Japanese electoral behavior with American and European models.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts in Japanese politics recognize this work as a significant contribution to the study of electoral participation and institutional design. Readers frequently note the technical rigor of the rational-choice methodology, making it a valuable resource for scholars interested in comparative political behavior.
Page Count:
168
Publication Date:
2004-08-01
Publisher:
Routledge
ISBN-10:
020339786X
ISBN-13:
9780203397862
History
Asia
Sociology
Japan
Public Policy
Elections
