Browse By

Tag Archives: Peace Preservation Law (1925)

Naruhiko Higashikuni and a Farewell to Arms

Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni stepped in to manage the surrender of the Japanese Empire in 1945. This was handled quite effectively, but it soon became clear that he was not even remotely on the same page with the incoming US occupation forces about what should come next.

Fumimaro Konoe and the China Quagmire

From 1937-1939, the nation was led by rightwing aristocrat Fumimaro Konoe, regarded by many as a man of destiny who might lead the nation to a glorious future. Konoe, however, proved to be a rudderless leader and soon allowed himself to be dragged into an all-out confrontation with nationalist forces in China.

Giichi Tanaka and the Hardline Turn

From 1927-1929, Imperial Army-officer-turned-politician Giichi Tanaka attempted to guide Japan with a firm hand, aiming to crush radicalism at home and to use the iron fist in China. This hardline turn was resisted on many fronts, but the biggest problem emerged from the Army itself, which was slipping away from political control.

Takaaki Kato and Universal Male Suffrage

From 1924-1926, Takaaki Kato led an administration which marked the pinnacle of the period of “Taisho Democracy.” Its crowning achievement was the passage of a law granting voting rights to all male Japanese age 25 or older, regardless of economic status.

Diet Debate Begins on Conspiracy Bill

House of Representatives debate on the Conspiracy Bill begins. The controversial legislation expected to become “the main event” of this Ordinary Diet Session as the government and the opposition parties draw battle lines.

Red-Baiting in 2016

A recent attempt by the Liberal Democratic Party to brand the Japan Communist Party as violent has sparked a new debate on the political history of Japan, but it seems to be primarily a cynical political ploy.