Three types of charismatic leadership in Japanese political culture

The article discusses the issue of categorizing charisma within Japanese political culture, which serves as the foundation for modern political culture of Japan. This culture combines historical norms and rules of public affairs management with Chinese and Western political standards and institutions, adopted in Japanese political culture and structure. The relevance and novelty of the research is explained both by the strengthening of the role of the institute of leadership in Asian societies over the past decades, and by the insufficient study of charismatic leadership, its historical forms, typology, and significance in Asian political cultures, in particular, in the political culture and system of Japan. This research touches three major historical forms of Japanese charismatic leadership: ‘reformer’, ‘hero’, and ‘ruler’. The examination of Japanese charismatism is based on a comparative and problem analysis of historical, political, literary, and academic sources. Historical examples and personalities are also compared with the leaders at the turn of the XXI century to emphasize the significance of charisma in modern Japanese society. Historical figures selected as vivid examples of charismatic leaders are those seen in Japanese society as outstanding personalities who left a notable mark on the development of Japanese national culture and identity.