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Socialist Democratic Federation (Japan)

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Socialist Democratic Federation
PresidentHideo Den (1978 – 1985)
Satsuki Eda (1985 – 1994)
Founded26 March 1978
Dissolved22 May 1994
Split fromJapan Socialist Party
Preceded bySocialist Citizen's Federation
Shakai Club
IdeologyLiberal socialism[1]
Pacifism[1]
Reformism[1]
Political positionCentre[2] to centre-left[3]

The Socialist Democratic Federation (社会民主連合, Shakai-minshu-rengō) (SDF), also referred to in Japanese by the shortened Shaminren (社民連), was a Japanese political party that existed from 1978 to 1994. It was formed from the merger of the Socialist Citizen's Federation (社会市民連合, Shakai-shimin-rengō) and the Shakai Club (社会クラブ, Shakai-kurabu).

History

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The Socialist Democratic Federation was a splinter party of the Japan Socialist Party (JSP). Its emergence followed a series of upheavals involving this left-wing, opposition political party, which began with the establishment of the Democratic Socialist Party in January 1960 and the later reemergence of the Japan Communist Party (JCP). The exodus of its membership is partly attributed to the perceived pro-Communist tendencies on the part of the JSP leadership during the political crisis involving the revision of Japan's Mutual Security Treaty with the United States.[4] Experts also blame a diminished public support for the socialist party, particularly in big cities.[4] The process continued until the next decade when the Shaminren finally split off from JSP. By this time, JSP was already in severe disarray it was ridiculed as Ni-hon (two-volumed) Shokaito (socialist party).[5]

The Socialist Democratic Federation became part of the non-liberal coalition that elected Morihiro Hosokawa as Japan's Prime Minister in 1993.[6] During this election, the Shaminren obtained 0.7 percent share of the vote, securing four seats in the Japanese House of Representatives.[7]

Socialist Citizen Federation (SCF)

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In 1977, Hideo Den, Yutaka Hara and Yanosuke Narazaki defected from the SDP and formed the Shakai Club party.

In 1993, Satsuki Eda was head of the Science and Technology Agency in Morihiro Hosokawa's cabinet.

An illustration showing the relationship between the Socialist Democratic Federation and the Japan Socialist Party.

Presidents of the SDF

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No. Name Potrait Constituency / title Term of office
Took office Left office
Preceding parties : Socialist Citizen's Federation and Shakai Club
1 Hideo Den
(1923–2009)		 Cou for
National district[a]
National PR[b]		 30 March 1978 11 February 1985
2 Satsuki Eda
(1941–2021)		 Rep for
Okayama 1st		 11 February 1985 22 May 1994

Election results

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General election results

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Election Leader Seats Position Constituency votes Status
No. ± Number %
1979 Hideo Den
2 / 511
 7th 368,660 0.62% Opposition
1980
3 / 511
 Increase 1 Steady 7th 402,832 0.68% Opposition
1983
3 / 511
 Steady 0 Steady 7th 381,045 0.67% Opposition
1986 Satsuki Eda
4 / 512
 Increase 1 Steady 7th 499,670 0.83% Opposition
1990
4 / 512
 Steady 0 Increase 6th 566,957 0.86% Opposition
1993
4 / 511
 Steady 0 Decrease 9th 461,169 0.73% SDF–JSP-Komeito-JRP-JNP-DSP-NPS-DRP coalition

Councillors election results

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Election Leader No. of
seats total		 No. of
seats won		 No. of
national votes		 % of
national vote		 No. of
prefectural votes		 % of
prefectural vote
1980 Hideo Den
3 / 252
1 / 126
 627,273 1.12%
1983
0 / 252
0 / 126
1986 Satsuki Eda
0 / 252
0 / 126
1989
0 / 252
0 / 126
1992
0 / 252
0 / 126

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ until 1983
  2. ↑ since 1983
  1. 1 2 3 "社民連十年史 社民連 われわれのめざすもの 1978/03/26".
  2. ↑ Albrecht Rothacher, ed. (2016). The Japanese Power Elite. Springer. p. 121. ISBN 9781349229932.
  3. ↑ Bouissou, Jean-Marie [in French] (2002). Japan: The Burden of Success. CERI Series in Comparative Politics and International Studies. Translated by Derrick, Jonathan. C. Hurst & Co. p. 293. ISBN 9781850655640. OCLC 1166938716. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  4. 1 2 Ishida, Takeshi; Krauss, Ellis (1989). Democracy in Japan. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press. pp. 97. ISBN 0822936089.
  5. ↑ Baerwald, Hans (2010). Party Politics in Japan. London: Routledge. pp. xxii. ISBN 9781136900303.
  6. ↑ Kohno, Masaru (1997). Japan's Postwar Party Politics. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 135. ISBN 0691026297.
  7. ↑ Elgie, Robert (1995). Political Leadership in Liberal Democracies. London: Macmillan International Higher Education. p. 159. ISBN 9780333597590.
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