This third volume in theJapan Decides series remains the premier venue for scholarly research on Japanese elections. Putting a spotlight on the 2017 general election, the contributors discuss the election results, party politics, coalition politics with Komeito, the cabinet, constitutional revision, new opposition parties, and Abenomics. Additionally, the volume looks at campaigning, public opinion, media, gender issues and representation, North Korea and security issues, inequality, immigration and cabinet scandals. With a topical focus and timely coverage of the latest dramatic changes in Japanese politics, the volume will appeal to researchers and policy experts alike, and will also make a welcome addition to courses on Japanese politics, comparative politics and electoral politics. 

Robert J. Pekkanen is Professor at the University of Washington, USA.  He has published nine books on politics, most recently co-editingThe Oxford Handbook of Electoral Systems(2018), as well as articles in the American Political Science Review,the British Journal of Political ScienceandComparative Political Studies.

Steven R. Reed is Professor at Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan. He has recently publishedPolitical Corruption and Scandals in Japan (with Matthew M. Carlson, 2018). He has published in theBritish Journal of Political Science and the American Journal of Political Science as well as numerous other academic journals.

Ethan Scheiner is Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Davis, USA. He is the author ofDemocracy Without Competition in Japan: Opposition Failure in a One-Party Dominant State (2005) andElectoral Systems and Political Context:How the Effects of Rules Vary across New and Established Democracies (with Robert G. Moser, 2012), as well as a variety of journal articles.

Daniel M. Smith is Associate Professor of Government at Harvard University, USA. He is the author ofDynasties and Democracy: The Inherited Incumbency Advantage in Japan (2018) and numerous articles and book chapters on political parties and elections.

Part I Introduction.- 1.      Introduction; Robert J. Pekkanen, Steven R. Reed, Ethan Scheiner and Daniel M. Smith.- 2.      Japanese Politics Between 2014 and 2017; Robert J. Pekkanen and Steven R. Reed.- 3.      The 2017 Election Results: An Earthquake, a Typhoon, and another Landslide; Ethan Scheiner, Daniel M. Smith and Michael F. Thies.-  Part II Political Parties.- 4.      Komeito 2017: New Complications; Axel Klein and Levi McLaughlin.- 5.      The Opposition: From Third Party Back to Third Force; Robert J. Pekkanen and Steven R. Reed.- 6.      The JCP: A Perpetual Spoiler?; Ko Maeda.- Part III Campaign and Issues.- 7.      Scandals during the Abe Administrations; Matthew Carlson and Steven R. Reed.- 8.      Public Opinion and the Abe Cabinet: Alternating Valence and Position Issues; Yukio Maeda.- 9.      Survey of Candidates' Policy Preferences; Kiichiro Arai and Miwa Nakajo.- 10.  Party Competition and the Electoral Rules; Kuniaki Nemoto.- 11.  Persistence of Womens Under-representation; Mari Miura.- 12.  Does Japan want to Build a Wall Too? Immigration and the 2017 General Election in Japan; Michael Strausz.- 13.  Inequality and the 2017 Election: Decreasing Dominance of Abenomics and Regional Revitalization; David Chiavacci.- 14.  The First Two Arrows of Abenomics: Monetary and Fiscal Politics in the 2017 Snap Election; Saori Katada and Gabrielle Cheung.- 15.  Abenomics Third Arrow: Fostering Competitiveness?; Kenji E. Kushida.- 16.  Constitutional Revision in the 2017 Election; Kenneth Mori McElwain.- 17.  The North Korea Factor in the 2017 Election; Yasushi Izumikawa.- 18.  Foreign Policy; Sheila Smith.