政権交代

• Reading: せいけんこうたい
• Romaji: seiken kōtai
• Kanji breakdown: 政 (sei) — politics; 権 (ken) — power; 交 (kō) — exchange; 代 (tai) — substitute, generation
• Pronunciation: /se.i.ke.ɴ.koː.ta.i/

Meaning

Change of government; regime change. A transfer of executive power from one party or coalition to another, typically following an election.

A significant term in Japanese political history, 政権交代 is most closely associated with the 2009 election in which the Democratic Party of Japan ended nearly half a century of near-continuous Liberal Democratic Party rule. It implies a systemic shift rather than a mere Cabinet reshuffle. The phrase carries democratic connotations of accountability and electoral consequences.

Examples

1. 2009年の衆院選は歴史的な政権交代をもたらした。 The 2009 lower house election brought about a historic change of government.
2. 野党は今度の選挙で政権交代を実現すると訴えている。 The opposition is campaigning to bring about a change of government in the upcoming election.
3. 政権交代後も官僚機構はほとんど変わらないという指摘がある。 There are those who point out that even after a change of government, the bureaucratic machinery remains largely unchanged.

Usage Guide

Context: elections, political journalism, modern Japanese history

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

A compound of 政権 (government/regime) and 交代 (changeover/rotation). 政権 = 政 (politics) + 権 (power); 交代 = 交 (exchange) + 代 (substitute).

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal