The Kiyoura Keigo Cabinet

(1924.1.7～6.11, Taisho 13)
A late Taisho cabinet with Kiyoura Keigo as prime minister and based on the power of the House of Peers. On December 27, 1923 (Taisho 12), when the second Yamamoto Gonbei cabinet resigned en masse due to the Toranomon Incident, elder statesman Saionji Kinmochi recommended Privy Council President Kiyoura as the successor prime minister, avoiding party politicians, taking into consideration two points: that the upcoming general election for the House of Representatives should be held fairly regardless of party affiliation, and that the Crown Prince's wedding should not be used as a tool for political strife. Kiyoura was ordered to form a cabinet on January 1, 1924, and at first tried to do so with the cooperation of the Rikken Seiyukai, the largest party in the House of Representatives, and the Kenkyukai, the largest faction in the House of Peers, but was unsuccessful, and in the end, a cabinet was formed on January 7 of the same year, centered around the Kenkyukai. All the cabinet members, except for the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Army and the Minister of Navy, were members of the House of Peers. The Kiyoura Cabinet was unpopular in the public opinion circles, and the Constitutionalist Association and the Reform Club were quick to call for the overthrow of the Kiyoura Cabinet, calling it an "anachronistic cabinet of the privileged class." The Rikken Seiyukai Party was divided within the party over whether to support the Cabinet, but the decision of its president, Takahashi Korekiyo, led the party to make clear its opposition to the Cabinet. This led to the formation of the so-called Three Protectors of the Constitution, and the Second Movement for the Protection of Constitutional Government, which aimed to overthrow the Kiyoura Cabinet and establish a party cabinet, gained momentum. The forces supporting the Cabinet in the House of Representatives were few, including the Seiyukai Party, which had been formed by defectors from the Rikken Seiyukai Party. The Kiyoura Cabinet, which was put in a difficult position by the opposition's offensive in the 48th Diet, dissolved the House of Representatives on January 31, 1924. However, in the general election on May 10 of the same year, the Seiyukai lost a large number of seats, the Kenseikai became the largest party, and the three pro-constitution factions won a majority. Although the Kenkyukai and the Seiyukai still tried to maintain power, the Kiyoura Cabinet resigned en masse on June 7, and the three pro-constitution faction Kato Takaaki Cabinet was formed on June 11.

[Yasushi Toriumi]

"Japanese Cabinet History 3" edited by Shigeru Hayashi and Seimei Tsuji (1981, Daiichi Hoki Publishing)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

（1924.1.7～6.11　大正13）
清浦奎吾を首相に貴族院勢力を基礎とする大正後期の内閣。1923年（大正12）12月27日第二次山本権兵衛(やまもとごんべえ)内閣が虎の門事件(とらのもんじけん)で総辞職すると、元老西園寺公望(さいおんじきんもち)は、近く予定されている衆議院議員総選挙を党派に関係なく公平に行うこと、皇太子御成婚式を政争の具に供しないことの2点を考慮し、政党政治家を避けて、枢密院議長清浦を後継首相に推薦した。1924年1月1日組閣の大命を受けた清浦は、初め衆議院の第一党の立憲政友会と貴族院の最大会派の研究会の協力を得て組閣を進めようとしたが成功せず、結局、同年1月7日研究会を中心に内閣が成立した。閣僚は総理、外務、陸軍、海軍の4人を除けば、すべて貴族院議員であった。清浦内閣は言論界での人気に乏しく、憲政会と革新倶楽部(くらぶ)はいち早く「時代錯誤の特権階級内閣」として清浦内閣打倒を唱え、立憲政友会は内閣支持の是非をめぐって党内が紛糾したが、高橋是清(たかはしこれきよ)総裁の断により内閣反対の方針を明らかにした。ここにいわゆる護憲三派が形成され、清浦内閣打倒と政党内閣の樹立を目ざす第二次憲政擁護運動が高まった。衆議院における内閣支持勢力は立憲政友会脱党派により結成された政友本党など少数であり、第48議会で野党攻勢により苦境にたたされた清浦内閣は、1924年1月31日衆議院を解散した。しかし、同年5月10日の総選挙では、政友本党が大幅に議席を失い、憲政会が第一党になり護憲三派が過半数を制した。研究会、政友本党にはなお政権維持を図る動きもあったが、6月7日清浦内閣は総辞職し、6月11日護憲三派の加藤高明(かとうたかあき)内閣が成立した。

［鳥海　靖］

『林茂・辻清明編『日本内閣史録3』（1981・第一法規出版）』

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