Conservative Women in Japan and Germany: Madonnas versus Chancellors

Japan and Germany are both losers of World War II that have experienced remarkable economic success led for the most part by conservative parties, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Germany and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Japan. Over time both these parties have been obliged to respond to the forces of modernization by promoting more female politicians for office. The results of this process for conservative women have been quite different in the two countries. In Germany, women have found real power in governance (e.g., Chancellor Angela Merkel) and policymaking while in Japan conservative women largely remain tokens within the LDP serving as symbols of reform but lacking real influence. This paper explores the reasons for these varying outcomes by comparing economic, cultural and institutional factors. In the end, this paper argues that differences in party organization explain the varying levels of success of conservative women in the two countries. In particular, the CDU’s ability to represent diverse interests in the party has allowed it to respond to the challenges from the left in ways that help it win votes and survive. Such forms of interest representation are not found in the LDP. As a result, the LDP’s attempts to incorporate women have been largely symbolic.