▁due ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁Rec ruit ▁Sc andal , ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁the ▁un pop ular ▁Cons umption ▁Tax , ▁and ▁the ▁liberal ization ▁in ▁the ▁import ation ▁of ▁foreign ▁agricult ural ▁products ), ▁and ▁while ▁it ▁later ▁won ▁the ▁most ▁votes ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁election ▁for ▁the ▁other ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁house , ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁enough ▁to ▁recover ▁the ▁majority . ▁ ▁On ▁each ▁of ▁those ▁occasions , ▁the ▁L DP ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁co - opt ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁independent ▁conserv ative ▁members ▁or ▁a ▁minor ▁party ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁government . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁however , ▁not ▁enough ▁independent ▁members ▁were ▁willing ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁L DP , ▁and ▁most ▁smaller ▁parties ▁refused ▁to ▁accept ▁coal ition ▁with ▁it . ▁Therefore , ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁a ▁non - LD P ▁coal ition ▁became ▁possible ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁ ▁Fact ors ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁E lection ▁ ▁The ▁so - called ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁system ▁was ▁character ized ▁by ▁a ▁one - party ▁domin ance ▁of ▁the ▁L DP ▁and ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁other ▁political ▁parties ▁in ▁per enn ial ▁opposition . ▁ ▁Struct ural ▁factors ▁condu ci ve ▁to ▁client el ism ▁include ▁fis cal ▁central ization , ▁the ▁pre - 1 9 9 4 ▁elect oral ▁system ▁and ▁elect oral ▁mal app ort ion ment . ▁F is cal ▁central ization ▁provided ▁a ▁context ▁for ▁the ▁comm od