As the Lower House election approaches this Sunday, a barrage of articles profuse with political labels is appearing in the media. But none of the articles explain what the labels mean, who gets them and who gets to choose.
The English versions of the most common labels — progressive, liberal, conservative, nationalist, etc. — may sound familiar, but the terms do not conform to how they are used in other democracies.
While this is true in other countries too, the policy differences in Japanese politics are narrower than elsewhere. The issues that define the labels are often unique to Japan. As a result, quite a few Western authors will pick them up and use them.
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