ensured the office of prime minister to be one of the strongest of that of the First World. Instead, it was among the weakest (Palmer 264). The function of Japan's prime minister is very similar to that of Russia's. However, the power of the executive branch in Russia resides in the office of the president. He nominates the prime minister and must approve the members of the cabinet (Palmer 334). The president, under the Yeltsin Constitution, has direct control over the major processes of government. Not a lot gets done without the president's approval (Palmer 335). In contrast to Russia's executive branch, Japan's prime ministers during this period spent most of their energy trying to keep the consensus between rival factions within the ruling party. Instead of having full control, with everything having to meet his approval, the main function of the Japanese prime minister is to compromise or to block policy initiatives coming from different administrative agencies or powerful business interests. Most of these initiatives come from Japan, Inc, an alliance between political, business, and administrative leaders who share one common goal, economic growth (Palmer 265). The success of a prime minister was based on his ability to broker between the different party factions, as opposed to the Russian president who develops and dictates policies.In the executive branch of both countries, there is a prime minister who resides over the Cabinet where the top ministries formulate and discuss policy. In Russia, as opposed to Japan, the existence of a president undermines the prime minister. The Cabinet reports directly to that office and everything must meet his approval (Palmer 335). In contrast, Japan's prime minister, as well as top Cabinet members, must be in support if a policy is going to be put into effect (Palmer 265). Therefore, although there is no powerful presidential hand helping things along in Japan, the final word still sits wit...
