Research meeting - Research meeting

A faction within the House of Peers. Just before the Imperial Diet was opened in September 1890 (Meiji 23), the Political Affairs Research Society was formed by viscount members of the House of Peers for the purpose of investigating political affairs and socializing. After several name changes, it was renamed the Research Society and launched in November 1891. Its executives included viscount member Hotta Masayasu and others. There were about 40 members, including other members with ranks and imperially appointed members. In 1892, the Shoyukai was formed outside the House of Peers as a support group for elections. Later, under the guidance of imperially appointed member Kiyoura Keigo, it joined forces with the Yamagata Aritomo faction of bureaucrats to expand its influence and oppose the political parties in the House of Representatives. In 1901, it opposed the tax increase proposal of the 4th Ito Hirobumi Rikken Seiyukai cabinet in the House of Peers, putting the cabinet in a difficult position. From the end of the Meiji period to the Taisho period, the group got close to the Seiyukai Party, and in 1920 (Taisho 9), its leader Ooki Enkichi was appointed Minister of Justice in the Seiyukai Party cabinet led by Hara Takashi. As the most influential faction in the House of Peers, the group always had 140-170 seats. In 1922-23, the group appointed four members to the Kato Tomosaburo cabinet, and then in January 1924, when the Kiyoura Keigo cabinet was formed, the group led the cabinet formation process and sent three ministers to the cabinet. However, the group was at the forefront of the second constitutional protection movement led by opposing political parties (the three constitutional protection factions), and the Kiyoura cabinet resigned in June of the same year. This marked a decline in the group's influence, and many members left the group. In May 1947 (Showa 22), after the Second World War, the House of Peers was abolished before the Constitution of Japan came into force, and the Kenkyukai disappeared.

[Yasushi Toriumi]

"Shoyu Club (eds.) 'History of the Political Parties Study Group in the House of Peers: Meiji and Taisho Periods' and 'History of the Political Parties Study Group in the House of Peers: Showa Period' (1980, 1982, Shoyu Club)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

貴族院の院内会派。帝国議会開設直前の1890年（明治23）9月、貴族院の子爵議員を中心に政務調査と懇親のため政務研究会が結成され、何回かの改称の後、1891年11月、研究会として会名を改めて発足した。幹部は子爵議員堀田正養(ほったまさやす)ら。他の有爵議員や勅選議員を含めて会員約40名。1892年選挙支持団体として院外に尚友会(しょうゆうかい)を結成。その後、勅選議員清浦奎吾(きようらけいご)の指導により山県有朋(やまがたありとも)系官僚派と手を結んで勢力を拡張し、衆議院の政党勢力と対抗。1901年には第4次伊藤博文立憲政友会内閣の増税案に貴族院で反対し、内閣を窮地に追い込んだ。明治末～大正期には政友会に接近し、1920年（大正9）原敬(はらたかし)政友会内閣に幹部の大木遠吉(おおきえんきち)が司法相として入閣。貴族院の最有力会派として、つねに140～170議席を確保。1922～23年の加藤友三郎内閣に4人を入閣させ、ついで1924年1月清浦奎吾内閣成立に際して組閣工作を主導し、3閣僚を送り込んだが、これに反発する政党勢力（護憲三派）などによる第二次護憲運動の矢面に立たされ、同年6月清浦内閣は退陣した。これを契機に勢力は後退し、脱会者も続出。第二次世界大戦後の1947年（昭和22）5月、日本国憲法の施行を前に貴族院は廃止となり、研究会は消滅した。

［鳥海　靖］

『尚友倶楽部編『貴族院の会派研究会史　明治大正篇』、『貴族院の会派研究会史　昭和篇』（1980、1982・尚友倶楽部）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例