This week, we chronicle Abe Shinzo’s meteoric rise up the ranks of the LDP and the Koizumi cabinet, culminating in his first tenure as Prime Minister — followed by his equally meteoric ascent back down the ranks, as his first attempt at governance will blow up in his face.
Sources
Harris, Tobias. The Iconoclast: Shinzo Abe and the New Japan.
Reed, Steven R. The Evolution of Japan’s Party System: Politics and Policy in an Era of Institutional Change.
A fascinating NYT article (particularly in retrospect) covering Abe’s 2007 resignation.
Images
![](https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/https-imgix-proxy.n8s.jp-DSXMZO3939935026122018000001-1-300x199.jpg)
![](https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Japanecon-superJumbo-300x200.jpg)
![](https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2019041100006_9-300x201.jpg)
![](https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/koizumi1311-jpp01147296-218x300.jpg)
I heard the story of The Chrysanthemum Vow and was wondering if you could do a history of the Japanese postal system. You’ve only touched on it when talking about Koizumi and his privatization, but I’d like to know more about what existed pre-Meiji and how they got around with all the Tokugawa restrictions on movement.