Deck 5: Japan

Question 1

All of the following were TRUE of the Tokugawa Shogunate EXCEPT

A) it was a feudal aristocracy that ruled Japan for 265 years.
B) most children received elementary school education.
C) the people were strictly segregated and divided into separate classes.
D) it welcomed immigrants from other countries.
E) women were treated as inherently inferior and not allowed to participate in public affairs.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The 1960 political episode that brought down the Liberal Democrat government of Kishi Nobusuke involved the government's decision to

A) allow the United States to base nuclear weapons in the country.
B) seek membership in the anti-communist U.S.-dominated Asian-Pacific Defense Pact
C) seek closer ties to the Soviet Union.
D) publicly apologize to China for the "rape of Nanking."
E) continue to allow U.S. troops to be stationed in Japan.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

The term "twisted" Diet refers to

A) no party being able to form a governing coalition.
B) different parties having control of the two houses of parliament.
C) the convoluted rules process in the parliament.
D) the upside down authority between the parliament and the executive.
E) numerous parties winning seats and thus leading to unstable coalitions.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Japan's postwar constitution was

A) drafted by a group of Japanese lawyers.
B) based on a draft prepared by American lawyers.
C) drafted by a group of lawyers from all of the Allied occupying powers.
D) based on a draft prepared by British lawyers.
E) accepted only after a country-wide referendum.

Question 5

According to the text, Japan provides a useful comparison to which of the following?

A) Countries in the northeast Asian Confucian cultural zone
B) Countries in Southeast Asia with whom Japan shares certain cultural traits.
C) Germany
D) Western countries
E) All of the above

Question 6

The major goals pursued by the Allied occupiers of Japan following World War II were

A) the economic recovery of the country and the restructuring of the military as a buffer against the threat posed by the Soviet Union.
B) the economic recovery of the country and the restoration of the sovereignty of the emperor.
C) democratization and the economic recovery of the country.
D) demilitarization and democratization.
E) the economic recovery of the country and the persecution of war criminals.

Question 7

The Meiji Restoration that toppled the Tokugawa shogunate occurred in

A) 1849.
B) 1871.
C) 1880.
D) 1868.
E) 1853.

Question 8

Which of the following best describes the role of the Japanese government in the economy?

A) It was very interventionist prior to World War II but the occupation forced the government to adopt laissez-faire policies that have remained in place to this day.
B) It has always played a major role serving as both patron and protector of domestic industry.
C) The only time that it played a significant role in the economy was during the first half of the twentieth century generally corresponding to the Great Depression and World War II.
D) Its adoption of a "wartime command economy" during World War II was an aberration as the government had traditionally adopted a laissez-faire stance.
E) It began to act as a patron and protector of domestic industries only after the end of the Allied occupation in the 1950s.

Question 9

A predominant party regime is

A) a multiparty democracy in which one party dominates the parliament and executive for a long period of time.
B) the same as a single party regime.
C) one in which a single party dominates the parliament but not the executive.
D) one in which a single party dominates the executive but not the parliament.
E) an authoritarian regime is dominated by a single party even though other parties do exist.

Question 10

Which of the following is TRUE?

A) Japan is about the size of California.
B) Japan has about ten times the population density of the United States.
C) The vast majority of Japanese live in cities.
D) All but four of the islands that comprise Japan are less than 500 square kilometers in size.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 11

Japan is a major financial contributor to

A) the United Nations.
B) the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
C) the World Bank.
D) the Asian Development Bank.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 12

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A) Japan has de facto permanent seats in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
B) All past governors of the Asian Development Bank have been Japanese.
C) Japan is a founding member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
D) Japan was prevented from joining the United Nations by the Soviet Union until the late 1980s.
E) Japan is the second largest contributor to the UN budget.

Question 13

Japan first achieved a favorable trade balance, meaning it exported more than it imported, during

A) the Great Depression of the 1930s.
B) World War I.
C) Tokugawa shogunate.
D) Taisho democracy.
E) the Korean War.

Question 14

A factor that led to the Meiji Restoration was

A) the widespread acceptance of democratic ideas.
B) a nearly successful invasion of the country by Korea.
C) the forced opening of the country by an American fleet.
D) the spread of industrialization.
E) the rise of the Shogun class.

Question 15

The Taisho democracy period was characterized by

A) the rise of a popular movement towards democratization of government and the reduction of the power of the authoritarian institutions of the state.
B) reforms that led to the decline of the power of wealthy landlords to dominate rural Japan.
C) the introduction of Japan's first constitution.
D) the introduction of Japan's first political parties.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 16

The Plaza Accord was an agreement that

A) renegotiated the terms of the treaty under which Japan allows U.S. troops to be stationed in the country.
B) devalued the American dollar against the Japanese yen thus making Japanese exports more expensive and less competitive.
C) would have established a joint currency between Japan and several Asian countries.
D) increased the value of the American dollar respective to the Japanese yen thus making American exports more expensive and less competitive.
E) established the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

Question 17

The Allied occupation of Japan ended in

A) 1952, the same year that Elizabeth became the Queen of England.
B) 1949, the same year that communists came to power in China.
C) 1950, the year that the Korean War began.
D) 1955, the same year West Germany joined NATO.
E) 1948, the same year that the Marshall Plan began.

Question 18

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is

A) an organization that promotes regional economic and political cooperation.
B) an organization seeking to form a politically and economically integrated regional powerhouse akin to the European Union.
C) a defense pact between Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines aimed chiefly against China.
D) a now-defunct defense pact between Japan, Taiwan, Australia, and other American allies in the region that was meant to contain the Soviet Union.
E) is comprised of 27 countries both inside and outside of the region.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) Since 9/11, the Japanese public has consistently supported the American-led "war on terror."
B) Japan has consistently opposed the American-led "war on terror," fearing that it would disrupt the flow of oil from the Middle East and thus threaten its economy.
C) The Japanese government has supported the American-led military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq but only in a non-combat role.
D) The Japanese government has supported the American-led military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq by dispatching combat forces to support these.
E) The Japanese government opposed the American invasion of Iraq but has supported American military action in Afghanistan.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about Japan's historical economic performance is TRUE?

A) Japan's economy had grown steadily from the late 1860s through the Great Depression.
B) Although hurt by the Great Depression, Japan recovered quickly and by 1941 was one of the world's fastest growing economies.
C) Previous to the occupation following World War II, the Japanese domestic market was rather small.
D) The post-World War II occupation brought about reforms that led to the substantial reduction of the concentration of economic power in the country and the expansion of the domestic market.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 21

The United States maintains about _____________ troops in Japan.

A) 45,000
B) 100,000
C) 200,000
D) 60,000
E) 90,000

Question 22

Which of the following statements BEST describes the relationship between the government and the financial sector?

A) Banks and securities firms make huge donations to politicians who pass laws favorable to financial institutions.
B) The government has allowed weak institutions to fail but has worked to preserve the stronger ones.
C) There is no relationship between the government and the financial sector due to the laissez-faire nature of the Japanese economy.
D) The government has served as the lender of last resort allowing weak financial institutions to survive.
E) The government owns most of the major financial institutions.

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT true?

A) There is a network of farmers, politicians, and bureaucrats that has effectively blocked efforts to reform Japan's food supply system.
B) Until the early 1990s, Japan maintained a nearly total ban on foreign rice.
C) Japan is self-sufficient in food production even though its supply system is generally outdated and top heavy.
D) Japanese agricultural policies have not focused on crop diversification.
E) Japan's self-sufficiency in food supply plummeted to about 40% in 2007.

Question 24

Historically speaking, the process used to pick prime ministers in postwar Japan tended to produce prime ministers who

A) led a particular faction of the party.
B) had no previous experience in government or party leadership positions.
C) were strongly associated with the outgoing prime minister.
D) were essentially chosen by the consensus of the leaders of various party factions and thus essentially everyone's second choice.
E) were adept at manipulating public opinion.

Question 25

The phrase "descent from heaven," used in reference to Japan, means

A) appointment of public officials by the emperor to whom divinity was ascribed before World War II.
B) a politician's or public servant's fall into disgrace because of a scandal.
C) the legendary origin of the imperial family.
D) employment of senior government officials upon their retirement by public or private corporations.
E) the widespread belief that Japan has a manifest destiny.

Question 26

Relationships among Japan's central government ministries and agencies can be described as

A) intimate and cooperative.
B) mutually intrusive and meddlesome.
C) mutually independent and exclusionary to the extent of interfering with joint efforts.
D) neither particularly cooperative nor uncooperative.
E) friendly due to the overlapping nature of their duties and responsibilities.

Question 27

Administrative guidance refers to

A) the practice of the Japanese government to set long-term goals with regard to technological innovation.
B) the practice of the Japanese government to regularly issue contradictory regulations leaving private firms unsure of how to react.
C) the command economy structures of the Japanese government.
D) informal guidance given to a private firm by a government agency that raises issues of transparency and collusion.
E) the practice of the Japanese government of issuing flexible "administrative rules" rather than strict formal regulations, thus effectively giving private firms a free hand to do as they wish.

Question 28

Which of the following BEST characterizes the role of women in the Japanese economy?

A) They comprise about 50 percent of the country's labor force.
B) On average, they earn less than their male counterparts.
C) There are significantly less women in managerial roles in Japan in comparison to other industrialized countries.
D) Most women are employed in part-time or temporary jobs with few benefits.
E) All of the above.

Question 29

The reputation of Japan's bureaucracy, both within the country and abroad, has suffered due to

A) scandals.
B) politicians claiming a greater share of policy-making at the expense of the bureaucracy.
C) the depressed state of the Japanese economy.
D) diminishing tax revenue and tighter public spending.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 30

How is the prime minister elected?

A) By popular vote of the Japanese electorate
B) By a vote in both chambers of parliament, although the lower chamber's selection prevails if the two votes produce different candidates
C) Through "back room deals" among the various parties in the parliament producing the candidate that is essentially every party's second choice
D) By a vote in the lower house of the parliament
E) By a vote in the lower house of parliament that must be subsequently approved by the upper house

Question 31

Which of the following is NOT true?

A) Japan typically has a trade deficit with countries that export fuel, foodstuffs, and raw materials.
B) Japan makes up its trade deficits with large surpluses to the United States, some European countries, and most Asian countries.
C) Japan's import of industrial goods has greatly increased in recent years.
D) Japan has never been particularly concerned with increasing intra-regional trade preferring instead to focus on its trade relationship with the United States and other western countries.
E) Japan's income from foreign direct investment has been larger than its trade account surplus since 2004.

Question 32

The Japanese Supreme Court exercises its constitutional power of judicial review

A) very rarely.
B) very frequently.
C) never.
D) about as frequently as the U.S. Supreme Court.
E) only when the cabinet directs it to do so.

Question 33

Japan can be described as

A) a constitutional monarchy in which the monarch exercises only a symbolic role.
B) a unitary state in which provinces and municipalities are subordinate to the national government.
C) a parliamentary democracy in which the people exercise their sovereignty through elected officials in the national legislature.
D) a parliamentary democracy in which the prime minister and cabinet initiates most of the legislation.
E) all of the above.

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT true?

A) Keiretsu may be organized vertically or horizontally.
B) Some of Japan's trading partners contend that the relationships among keiretsu member firms is harmful to free trade.
C) Since the late 1990s, most keiretsu links have become more entrenched in response to the challenges associated with globalization.
D) Keiretsu can trace their origins back to the pre-World War II zaibatsu conglomerates.
E) The Toyota group is an example of a vertical keiretsu.

Question 35

Which of the following statements about the Japanese monarchy is NOT true?

A) According to tradition and law, only males are allowed to succeed to the throne.
B) Under the current constitution, the emperor serves only a symbolic role as the head of state.
C) The issue of patrilineage has never been a matter of debate in the country.
D) Japan has the oldest surviving monarchy in the world.
E) The current imperial family is quite small.

Question 36

In 2009, Japan's defense budget ranked ____________ in the world.

A) fourth
B) fifth
C) sixth
D) seventh
E) eighth

Question 37

The Lay Judge System

A) is a system whereby a judge may adjudicate a suit between Japanese citizens.
B) is a system whereby a panel of randomly selected citizens rule on civil cases involving corporations.
C) permits persons who have not attained a law degree to become judges.
D) is a reform that made all judgeships in Japan elected positions.
E) allows major criminal cases to be heard by a panel consisting of professional judges and randomly chosen citizens.

Question 38

A keiretsu is a

A) semipublicly owned financial corporation.
B) semipublicly owned industry.
C) business alliance of closely linked firms that have preferential trading relationships and often interlocked directorates and stock-sharing arrangements.
D) lobbyist who works for a private firm or collection of firms.
E) financier of public and private corporations and public works projects.

Question 39

The average tenure in office of prime ministers in postwar Japan has been

A) less than one year.
B) just over two years.
C) just over four years.
D) about six years.
E) about eight years.

Question 40

Between 1955 and 2009, all but three of Japan's prime ministers came from the

A) Liberal Democratic Party.
B) Social Democratic Party.
C) Democratic Party of Japan.
D) Republican Party of Japan.
E) Liberal Party.

Question 41

Once seen as a dynamic economic powerhouse, Japan has been, since the 1990s, mired in a lingering economic recession. This has resulted in

A) a chronic budget deficit and growing national debt.
B) the government budget growing at a rate faster than the national economy.
C) government efforts to increase revenue such as raising the rate of the value added tax.
D) a sharp decline in the level of official development assistance ("foreign aid") by the government.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 42

Koenkai are

A) firms and industries that are publicly or semipublicly owned.
B) private contractors who are increasingly responsible for conducting administrative affairs for the central government.
C) highly personalized campaign organizations that carry out constituency services.
D) neighborhood associations that manage the polling places during elections.
E) officials employed by the government's central election board.

Question 43

Most legislation is initiated by

A) the cabinet.
B) individual members of the Diet.
C) committees of the two houses of the Diet.
D) the House of Councillors.
E) the House of Representatives.

Question 44

Which of the following is TRUE of the labor movement in Japan?

A) The Allied occupation encouraged unions as a form of democratizing Japanese politics.
B) Unions were instrumental in winning concessions over wages and working conditions.
C) The rate of unionization has fallen steadily since the 1970s.
D) The number of labor disputes, like strikes and walkouts, has fallen dramatically since the 1970s to the point that they are almost nonexistent today.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 45

The mainstream Japanese mass media tends to be

A) extremely independent minded in reporting and commenting on sensitive political and social issues.
B) characterized by rampant yellow journalism and muckraking proclivities.
C) fairly passive and noncommittal.
D) associated with particular parties and thus biased in its reporting.
E) severely restricted by the central government.

Question 46

Which of the following BEST describes the relationship between the central government and subnational governments?

A) Japan is a federal system in which certain powers are reserved for subnational governments and others for the central government.
B) The central government exercises financial and administrative control of subnational governments.
C) Although Japan is a unitary state, the central government has nevertheless devolved a significant amount of authority to subnational governments.
D) The central government exercises financial and administrative control over the governments of prefectures but not local governments.
E) The central government exercises financial and administrative control over local governments but not those of prefectures.

Question 47

The Japanese Diet exercises some level of power over the executive by

A) nominating the prime minister.
B) investigating matters of national interest.
C) requiring that cabinet minister answer questions posed by Diet members.
D) ratifying international treaties.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 48

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) Although there are five major parties in Japan, for practical purposes the country is a two-party-dominant system.
B) All of Japan's major political parties were formed in the 1950s.
C) The Social Democratic Party dominated the Diet throughout most of the post World War II period.
D) Most of Japan's political parties are highly factionalized with the divisions primarily involving ideological and policy differences.
E) All of the above.

Question 49

For a bill to become a law, it must

A) pass only the House of Representatives.
B) pass only the House of Councilors.
C) pass both the House of Councilors and the House of Representatives although the latter can override a rejection by the former with a two-thirds majority.
D) pass both the House of Councilors and the House of Representatives, although the former can override a rejection by the latter with a two-thirds majority.
E) be approved by the cabinet after it passes both houses of the Diet.

Question 50

Which of the following is TRUE regarding the status of women in Japan?

A) Continued informal discrimination against women is one reason that Japan ranks very low in terms of gender equality.
B) Women were first enfranchised during the Allied occupation.
C) Women's organizations date to the Meiji period.
D) Women are very underrepresented in the Diet.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 51

Which of the following BEST characterizes the impact of press clubs on the Japanese mass media?

A) They serve to protect the media from undue government harassment.
B) They suppress news critical of large and influential organizations such as government agencies and business corporations.
C) They provide a network through which reporters can build close ties with one another.
D) They provide a network through which reporters can connect to government bureaucracies and private firms.
E) All of the above.

Question 52

Which of the following is TRUE?

A) The Four Great Pollution Trials led to the enactment of stiff anti-pollution laws that have substantially reduced pollution in the country.
B) The Four Great Pollution laws led to the enactment of stiff anti-pollution laws but these have not substantially reduced pollution in the country.
C) Environmental issues have been in the forefront of the public's attention since the 1950s and 1960s.
D) Among industrialized countries, Japan has one of the best records in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
E) Although Japan has a large number of nuclear reactors, these supply less than 10 percent of the country's energy.

Question 53

Since the 1990s, Japan has been stuck in a lingering economic recession. First, explain the roots of this. Second, describe the scope of this recession, both in terms of its impact upon the country and upon its role in global affairs. Third, describe efforts undertaken by the Japanese state to reverse this downturn. Finally, explain why these efforts have not produced the desired results.

Question 54

Since 1994, members to the House of Representatives are elected using

A) a single non-transferable vote system.
B) a mixed member proportional system.
C) a party list proportional representation system.
D) a single-member district system.
E) a personalized single-district proportional representation system.

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT true of Japan's political parties?

A) Most are host to entrenched factions.
B) They receive state subsidies.
C) They are mass parties with substantial grassroots memberships.
D) They generally play no substantial role in subnational politics.
E) There are now five major political parties in Japan.

Question 56

How are members to the House of Councilors elected?

A) Through a party list proportional representation method based on a single nationwide district
B) Through a party list proportional representation method based on districts at the prefecture level
C) Through a single non-transferable vote system based on a single nationwide district
D) Through a single non-transferable vote system based on districts at the prefecture level
E) Some are elected by a party list proportional representation method based on a nationwide district and some are elected from prefectures using a single non-transferable vote system.

Question 57

Zoku, or tribes, refer to

A) a group of politicians who come from the same region of the country.
B) a coalition of politicians, bureaucrats, and interest group leaders who share and pursue common policy goals.
C) a group of veteran politicians with extensive knowledge, expertise, and influence in a particular policy area and close connections to special interests in that area.
D) A coalition of civil servants and academics who develop policy options.
E) A group of novice politicians who work closely with special interests to advance a particular policy agenda.

Question 58

Which of the following is NOT true of the Japanese criminal system?

A) Japan is a relatively crime-free society.
B) Japan has a very high conviction rate.
C) Japan practices capital punishment.
D) Japan's criminal system is highly centralized.
E) Some have criticized Japan's reliance on coerced confessions.

Question 59

Which of the following is NOT true of minority ethnic groups in Japan?

A) Resident foreigners in Japan lack voting rights.
B) There has been no organized violence against foreign workers.
C) In general, ethnic minority identities have diminished over the years.
D) All ethnic minority groups are concentrated in the poorest prefectures of the country.
E) The core issue facing ethnic minorities is the discrimination they experience in employment and marriage.

Question 60

The rapid aging of Japan's population

A) is the result of a combination of a high life expectancy and a low birthrate.
B) means that there is a significant shortfall in the number of workers which in turn leads businesses to rely upon foreign workers.
C) has led to increased government spending not only on social security and health care for the elderly but also on birthrate-boosting efforts.
D) is similar to that of the German and Italian populations.
E) All of the above statements are true.

Question 61

The state has always played a major role in managing the Japanese economy as both a patron and a protector of domestic industry. First, citing specific examples, explain the kinds of policies the state has taken in this regard. Next, explain how this traditional role of the state is being challenged by globalization as well as the current on-going economic recession.

Question 62

Japan's trading partners, especially those in the West, have often argued that there are certain structural and behavior features of the country's private sector that lead to unfair trade practices. First, discuss the structural and behavioral features of the private sector of the Japanese economy that set it apart from its counterparts in most Western countries. Second, assess why critics may see these as leading to unfair trade practices. Finally, assess how Japan's continued integration into the global economy affected these features.

Question 63

Policy coordination, coherence, and effectiveness are often problems associated with the policy process in Japan. First, explain the causes of these problems. Next, assess which of these you feel is the most important explanatory factor and why. Finally, assess to what extent these problems are systemic.

Question 64

Japan is a resource-poor country. How has this affected its economic and foreign policies over the years? Does it continue to influence these policies today, and if so how?

Question 65

Japan has been characterized, particularly over the last two decades, as having frequent government turnovers and weak executive leadership. Given the nature of the state's organization, what impact have these had upon the country?

Question 66

The Allied occupation brought about a number of reforms to democratize and demilitarize Japan. What were the most important of these? How successful were they and in what sense?