Still valuable? Reconsidering the role of authoritarian values among Japanese voters

Abstract The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has dominated Japanese politics since its foundation in 1955. party's ability to support the interests of small farmers and commitment middle-class through redistributive economic policies have been regarded as among primary factors leading prolonged hegemony. Yet, LDP occasionally relied on non-economic political appeals addressing rather conservative issues such Japan's military force country's traditional values. These significantly intensified under premiership Junichirō Koizumi his successor Shinzō Abe, whose authoritative leadership styles nationalist agendas reveal relevance This study focuses role authoritarian values shaping vote choice twenty-first century Japan. Previously emphasized Voter , authority–liberty dimension gradually lost prominence recent models voting behavior, where socio-economic had a central explaining choice. Our inquiry places new emphasis this value provides evidence for enduring individual dispositions