Governi di partito e nomine di alti funzionari nel Giappone Taishō

The establishment of close political ties between higher bureaucracy and major Diet parties has been acknowledged by several scholars as a process that deeply affected the development of “Taishō democracy.” With regard to postwar events, it may be considered as well a question lying at the very root of contemporary Japanese politics. This paper highlights some of the institutional factors that shaped the relationship between bureaucracy and parties in the Taishō era, with particular attention to regulations on the appointment and dismissal of higher civil servants. These rules, which largely prevented party members from obtaining access to key administrative positions, represented a strong incentive to seek informal connections with high-ranking government officials.