若取得政權是政黨成立與存在的最重要目的，則失去政權對政黨無疑是嚴重的危機；如何取回政權，則成爲政黨的優先戰略目標。 日本的自民黨在下台後，於短時間內再度執政。雖然自民黨是以聯合政權的型態再度執政，但是因爲是執政聯盟的最大政黨，所以掌握著政治過程的主導權。而且，自民黨爲首的聯合政權迄今已經歷十四年有餘，儼然形成自民黨再度長期執政的態勢。自民黨如何失去政權？如何取回政權？又如何維持政權？此些問題是分析現代日本政治的有趣問題。

If holding the reins of government is the main purpose to a political party, losing the reins of power undoubtedly will be a serious political crisis hence how to regain the sovereignty is a first priority for a political party. It is not long before the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is returned to power after it is driven from power in 1993. Though the LDP is returned to power, forming a governing collation, it still dominates in the process of policy-making in that it's the largest party in a majority collation government. Moreover, the coalition government led by the LDP has been in power for over fourteen years, which signals a long-dominant LDP again. How does the LDP lose the reign over Japan? How does it regain and maintain the reins of government? These are interesting issues on the analysis of modern Japanese politics.