国政

• Reading: こくせい
• Romaji: kokusei
• Kanji breakdown: 国 (koku) — nation, country; 政 (sei) — politics, government, administration
• Pronunciation: /ko.kɯ.se.i/

Meaning

National politics; national government. The administration and governance of a country at the national level.

Used to distinguish national-level governance from local or regional politics (地方政治). Common collocations include 国政に参加する (to participate in national politics), 国政選挙 (national election), and 国政を担う (to bear responsibility for governing the nation). A key term in civics and political journalism.

Examples

1. 国政選挙が近づき、各党は候補者の選定を急いでいる。 With a national election approaching, each party is rushing to select its candidates.
2. 首相は国政の最高責任者として国民に説明責任を果たすべきだ。 As the highest authority in national politics, the prime minister should be accountable to the people.
3. 地方自治の充実なくして健全な国政は成り立たないという見方もある。 Some argue that sound national governance cannot be achieved without strong local self-government.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, elections, civics, journalism

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound. 国 (koku/kuni) means nation or country; 政 (sei) means politics, government, or administration (as in 政治, 行政). Together they specifically denote governance at the national level.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated