Why were personal ties more important than ideology in many Liberal-Democratic Party factions?

Within the Liberal-Democratic Party of Japan, factions were historically built on personal ties rather than ideology because these relationships were essential for securing leadership positions and political power.1

Faction bosses, such as Tanaka, utilized significant financial resources to attract and retain prospective politicians. This system provided bosses with a strategic advantage in internal party battles, ultimately allowing them to exert control over the selection of the prime minister.1

Furthermore, electoral success for individual politicians was traditionally driven by the cultivation of personal support organizations known as koenkai. These organizations relied on intimate constituency service, the distribution of public works projects, and substantial funding to maintain loyalty, rather than adherence to a specific political ideology. While these factions were central to the party's structure for much of its history, reforms initiated by leaders like Koizumi in the early 21st century significantly weakened this traditional factional model.1