The “Mukden incident” of September 18, 1931 marked the halfway point
in the sharp political struggle which was then convulsing Japan. Its
violent phase lasted for eight months longer, until May 15, 1932.
We have already seen the first result of this struggle--the overthrow
of the Minseito Cabinet. The Seiyukai party took up the reins of power
in mid-December 1931. It proved to be the last one-party government to
hold office during that decade. Inukai, its Premier, was a moderate; so
also was Takahashi, the aged Finance Minister. General Araki, symbol
and titular leader of the army extremists, was the Minister of War.
Not content with having forced a change of Cabinet, the extremists
still pressed the attack on party government. Inouye, Finance Minister
in the previous Minseito Cabinet, was assassinated on February 9, and
Baron Dan, head of the Mitsui interests, was shot on March 5. Both were
victims of the Blood Brotherhood League, organized to use terrorism
against the “corrupt political parties, slaves of the capitalists.”
More plots followed. Then, on May 15, 1932, Premier Inukai in turn was
assassinated. His death was the climax of an outbreak supported by high
army officers, who had planned to seize control of the government.