The Effect of Social Capital on Political Values in Japan.

The idea that trusting and actively engaged citizens contribute to the emergence and improvement of democracy has found theoretical expression in the concept of social capital. However, most of the existing literature focus on western societies. Thus, one may ask whether the hypothesized linkage between interpersonal trust and civic engagement on one hand, and political attitudes (including democratic values) on the other, is applicable to beyond the western context. This paper analyzes the impact of social capital in Japan, which shares more than half a century of democratic experience with other advanced industrialized countries, yet not their historical and cultural background. The paper specifically addresses how social capital operates differently across the urban-rural axis that constitutes a key feature of political life in this country. Findings regarding the impact of different components of social capital, including membership in different types of voluntary groups as well as informal networks, are presented and discussed. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]