The chief result of the “2-26” uprising was to give greater power
over government policy to the army leaders. This power was not
exercised by the extremists in person, because the military revolt
had temporarily discredited them in the people’s eyes. A new set of
army leaders adopted most of their platform, however, and succeeded in
putting it across. The public strongly opposed the expansionist and
military-fascist tendencies of the new program, but could do no more
than delay its realization.
The new program took definite shape under the Cabinet headed by Hirota,
a bureaucrat with extremist leanings. It called for stronger pressure
on China, expressed in demands for “Sino-Japanese cooperation.” The
anti-Comintern pact was concluded with Germany in November 1936. On
the home front, there were efforts to amend the Election Law in such
a way as to curb the political influence of the parties. The new
budget included large increases in defense expenditure. Sections of
heavy industry, interested in the profits to be reaped from supplying
armaments for the defense services, threw their support to the enlarged
arms program. On the other hand, popular opposition to the Hirota
Cabinet grew steadily. Following strong attacks in the Diet, Hirota
resigned in January 1937.
General Hayashi, the next Premier, barred the recognized Minseito and
Seiyukai party leaders from his Cabinet. Within two months he had
carried through the economic planks of Hirota’s platform. Ikeda and
Yuki, representing the business houses, took official posts in order
to handle the financial problems. Premier Hayashi also instituted a
Cabinet Planning Board, which became an economic general staff for the
army program.