The year that is now passing saw a giant coalition government come into being, with a triumvirate of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Liberal Party and New Komeito controlling about 70 percent of the influential Lower House and more than half of the Upper House.
Despite its numerical strength, the tripartite alliance failed to stabilize the political situation. Instead, its inherent weaknesses were exposed, as illustrated by the LP's threat to break ranks. Essentially, Japanese politics remained stuck where it was in 1993, when the LDP lost its monopoly on power. Political Japan remains adrift on the eve of 2000, with no clear-cut prospects for the future.
Another political landmark in 1999 was the enactment of key bills affecting Japan's future. Laws mapping out Japan-U.S. defense cooperation created a new legal framework for this nation to support U.S. military actions during security crises in surrounding areas. Support would be provided not only by the Self-Defense Forces, but also by local authorities and private organizations. The guidelines legislation, however, put Japan's exclusively defense-oriented security policy on the line.