POLITICAL REALITY AND EDITORIAL CARTOONS IN JAPAN - HOW THE NATIONAL DAILIES ILLUSTRATE THE JAPANESE PRIME-MINISTER

This report of a content analysis details how editorial cartoons in tw o Japanese national dailies illustrated six recent Japanese prime mini sters during their first three months in office. The findings reveal t he growing importance the media allocate to the national political lea der as a source of political information and coverage. Nevertheless, t he prime minister appears as a passive man who lacks leadership qualit ies, reflecting to a certain extent the weak position the prime minist er has in Japanese politics.