Saitô Takao and Parliamentary Politics in 1930S Japan

Parliamentary Sait6 Japan Takao Politics and 1930s in Lawrence Fouraker Georgetown University politics Interpreting Japanese decade from the Manchurian in the Incident of 1931 complex problematic. instance, significance is Pearl Harbor and what is the the of For to military nobility nonelected cabinets of early under leaders from the in the emergence or than decade 1930s? before it routine for the 1932, For "elder statesmen" to more a was prime majority minister house, choose the head of the lower the in but from that party as single prime premier. until became member Did end of the 1945 party party not year a spell Strictly politics? ministers speaking, end of democratic the Japanese tendencies in politics hardly sovereignty democratic. Under the constitution of 1890, prewar was unambiguously lay people, acting with the elites the and nonelected his in not emperor, continuously wielded surely until end of World the it is War II. But great power name military began play coincidental than expanded that role domestic in to more men an politics time the Kwantung Army that the initiated hostilities Manchuria in in at same deepened involvement and that their 1931, parallel affairs in military home in with at continent. escalation the on hand, the other On change there that did deal the in atter great not was a years Attempted by military d'6tat punctuated elements in 1931. the the 1931- coups rogue period, overthrowing but succeeded in 1936 the continued Voters government. to none parties polls "voluntary" parties' mainstream the until the the dissolution support two at striking ,continuity in political 1940, there and that, of institutions aider was a even notably study Japanese the parliamentary politics Diet. This in the in 1930s, essay, case a changes fundamental that society politics outweighed Japanese in and these argues significant comparison continuities. speeches of by the in A Diet in and 1936 1940 two • • [• • lawyer (1870-1949), Takao Sait6 politician, and and the party response a speeches invoked, these will demonstrate the politics drastic transformation Japanese of eschewing Without the late changes in politics consideration 1930s. of the wider in and a society, speeches focus will actually these illustrate what inside the 0n to two went on we Diet, changed and reflect how it the in tumultuous late 1930s. on speeches diplomacy both military Sait6 endorsed aggression, In rather than and pernicious impractical attacked the influence of ideas of "reconstruction" vacuous or repeatedly "renovation." And in both he called freedom restoration of for the of the speech functional and markedly Diet The different reactions Sait6's system. to a fundamentally speeches similar by colleagues and_ in 1940, both his 1936 Diet in the and general public, by drastically the changing. politics how confirm Japanese 1936, In was enthusiastically fellow ringing cheered Sait6's MPs denunciation calls of for empty renovation," "national shared and his speech. erosion of the freedom the of regret over general public The telegrams him letters of unanimous and four But sent support. many basically later, speech similar Though initially with mixed met years a response. a by colleagues welcomed Diet, of his to politicians speech in his the handful of led many a 3 Ultimately, "punish" Sait6. organize shout and in movement to out an anger a expel Diet. The from the overwhelming majority him voted Sait6's fellow of MPs to significantly than four different speech by public also Sait6's reaction the 1940 to was agreed people Sait6 majority who hundreds of before. While the of the wrote to years disagreed joined by those that him, voices of and thanked with him these support were of these Japan's "holy The war." with Sait6 teach about him tried appearance to or changing, coming people Japanese the support critical letters demonstrates how to were goals. poorly-articulated pursuit unattainable policy and aggressive foreign of in war an Interpellation, May 7, 1936 First only erupted aggression China in but also military the in Japanese 1930s not violently repeatedly and military their civilian allies Young and Japan. inside men impose seeking murdering politicians and political of Japan, attacked the to structure Pledge League Blood 1932, military attempted Japan in the shook such rule. Two coups th followed, the that 5.15) and (or Incident. the months May Incident and the In 15 years they erupted, the such plots before authorities several other uncovered and thwarted as existing sought attempted eliminate October Incident of All these 1934. to coups of the dictatorship command political impose military direct under the institutions and a emperor. dismay. with He watched these Party Minsei member Sait6 Takao attempts coup by of his policies liberal leaders endorsed the of ideas and strong supporter most was a • • •2 •, Kijfir6 conciliatory foreign policy relatively of Shidehara such the party, as • l•[•, Reijir6 policies Wakatsuki relatively with democratic domestic associated and the th • • l•[•. • February attempted the 26 this series of in weeks after the last Ten coups, the what he (or 2.26) Diet order in Incident of Sait6 addressed the 1936, to expose saw as relentlessly twenty-five attempted minutes he hour and of these For roots coups. an attempted questioned this country's the of the leaders about top coup. causes shouting fests, degenerated (Interpellation into but sessions Diet sometimes in the were will invective became generally that Sait6's conducted with decorum. Even so, we see strongly-worded beyond questions quite speeches, make well harsh both in he to went as leaders.) country's attacks the on popularity ideas of faddish of "incidents" the Sait6 attributed these violent to the they believed "reconstruction." While their "renovation" proponents were or problems, portrayed than sweeping ideas little Sait6 these solution the nation's to more as imposition by existing the of direct rule for the destruction of the order and calls emperor. plans, utterly devoid of rational notions These concrete vague as: or were politics, dejected survival, struggle from the world of Dropouts losers for from the or they state," have idea how but do scholars chant the half-baked "'reconstruct to any • • (Shdwa They "Sh6wa slogans Restoration" isshin state? like chant reconstruct a $•/• implementing they of how the task of ) do have notion but to out carry any a They without idea what it Sh6wa Restoration? the state" chant "reconstruct any means. 1 • •-• •. •-• r• • [•] :• "Shukugun Takao, • Salt6 shitsumon enzetsu" [:- kansuru ni • g•j -1- q5 Military), shichijTmen Disciplining • (Interpellation in Kaiko the Session on k6ronsha, Subsequent 1987), Seventy Chfio (Recollections (Tokyo: Years) 233-67. of pp. simply speech this refer numbers the from references this will to to page source. 4 They "Shrwa chant understanding Restoration" without examining what it is, all, After proposals their for reconstruction, only emptiness. find interrupted [He by we was applause here.] irresponsible That these radical ideas incite shallow apt to are some imprudent fellows alarming plots foment there, leading here and the to to even insubordinate of assassins, disgrace is civilized and countrymen emergence to a our a thing. shameful [Applause.] (p. 236) Unfortunately, noted, Sait6 only time it when who those shouted "renovation" was a patriots. 1• could be prime •, • minister, the [• Even Hirota Krki statesmen or new proposed had administrative the "renovation of previous day's in structure" the Diet session. explain Sait6 insisted Hirota that by what he Exactly "renovation." what meant prime the did intend minister prevalence do? Sait6 bemoaned the of for calls to vague thoroughgoing political, of renovation legal, entire the administrative and of structure especially Japan, they when only emanated military from from but naive not young men country's the leaders. 2 top Sait6 adamant Japan's that entire by of government structure was no-means was inferior those countries, of other certainly advanced and need in of drastic to not a "renovation." ideologues Unlike the renovation, indiscriminately of Sait6 did not Japan's excoriate institutions--he thought problem rather the people with the in was charge of them. hand, rejected other On the while he pursuit ideas .destructive in the of "renovation" recognized Japan, of pressing Sait6 specific the need for certain reforms. instance, lawyer Sait6 For Japan's judicial denounced "terribly backward," and system as scorned the trials drag Japan in tended for violation clear of the to way years on as a people's rights. situation, This solutions, demanded proposed and Sait6 had_ urgent previous reforms in legal the Diet. the simplify If complex, then it. If system too was funding needed, provide then .funds. the Sait6 had be careful courts to more or not to was openly military, criticize the barely-veiled but in indictment of cabinets' recent a pro- military priorities, insisted: he allocate "We. hand-over-hand in-one when money area, so the it that rights the freedoms, nation's vital human and courtrooms to preserve comes we hardly funding," refuse (p. 245) can problems judicial The •Japan's with all light baneful the in of system were more shocking reality routinely the of how trampled rights. the (As human Sait6 state upon began question cabinet justice, leader•about enforcement the of the Minister of to Home apparently Affairs tried chambers, leave provoking the Diet shout: "What MPs is the to to 2 Calls for renovation Japanese had been reconstruction of nearly the for part or a scene decades, speech and his in Sait6 thought bunches together such all unfeasible two and as irrational. all But renovationist ideas slogans shouted the of the not empty were as young as instance, officers. 1919, monthly journal For in the (Kaizr) began publication, "Reconstruction" bringing variety mostly of ideas its reading public, urban essaysby prominent notably to a new foreign capitalism critics including of Lenin.

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