Party influence, increasing with the growth of capitalism in Japan,
reached its height during these years. At an earlier period the clan
bureaucrats had manipulated the parties to suit themselves--usually
with little difficulty. But as time passed, the parties formed closer
and closer ties with the great business houses. Mitsubishi interests
were linked with the Minseito party, Mitsui with the Seiyukai party.
The Election Law was gradually amended, increasing the number of
voters, until in 1925 manhood suffrage was adopted. This change forced
Diet members to spend large sums in electioneering, and made them more
dependent on capitalist support. Consequently, it strengthened the
capitalists’ control over the Minseito and the Seiyukai. At the same
time it made possible the rise of labor and left-wing parties, which
began to win Diet seats.
After 1925 the Cabinets formed by the Minseito and Seiyukai parties
began to have to account directly to their majorities in the House of
Representatives for what they did. Parliamentary government was by no
means fully established, however. An adverse vote in the lower house
did not, as a rule, overthrow these Cabinets. More often they fell
because of backstage maneuvers in the Privy Council or the House of
Peers. Nor were their leaders and policies always liberal. For a time
General Baron Tanaka was president of the Seiyukai. He represented the
aggressive, militarist wing of the Choshu clan. The Seiyukai Cabinet of
1927-29, formed under his Premiership, carried out a “positive policy”
of military intervention in China. Tanaka had to be a party leader in
order to become Premier. But his policy showed the strength of old
tendencies, even in a generally liberal era.
On the other hand, the succeeding Minseito Cabinet (1929-31) was the
strongest and most liberal party government which has ever held office
in Japan. It came the nearest to establishing democracy there. It
also had to meet the first onslaught of the military-fascist forces
that have since become so powerful. In the story of Japan’s political
development, it thus represents a critical turning point of unusual
significance.