"Power and Pork: a Japanese Political Life aims to tell the 'inside story' of a Japanese politician - Matsuoka Toshikatsu - one of the more controversial members of Japan's national Diet. The book details Matsuoka's political stratagems and policy activities as an archetypal 'traditional' politician representing farm and rural interests." "The scope of the work is contemporary Japanese domestic politics, including electoral processes, zoku influence, pork barrelling and 'money politics' as exemplified by one of its key players. Power and Pork gives an account of how Matsuoka has catered to local, sectional and clientele interests in order to build and retain his political power base. One of the most important conclusions of the book is that individual ruling party backbenchers can exercise extraordinary influence over government policy in Japan." -- BOOK JACKET.