Taisho Political Crisis

In February 1913 (Taisho 2), the Third Katsura Taro Cabinet was toppled by the First Constitutional Government Protection Movement. In December of the previous year, Uehara Yusaku, Minister of War, resigned after his request to add two divisions was not met. As the Army did not provide a successor, the Second Saionji Kinmochi Cabinet resigned en masse and Interior Minister Katsura Taro, who had retired to the Imperial Court, formed a new Cabinet. This situation was perceived as tyranny by the Army and clan factions, giving rise to the Constitutional Government Protection Movement. Prime Minister Katsura did not take the usual compromise approach with the Seiyukai Party, and tried to resolve the situation by forming a new party (Rikken Doshikai) while repeatedly suspending the Diet, but he was isolated by the growing rage of the popular movement and the Seiyukai's full participation in the Constitutional Government Protection Movement, and on February 10th, as the people surrounded the Diet, he decided to resign en masse. Against the backdrop of the political growth of the people, this act marked the end of the Kei-En era, which was an alliance between the Choshu faction and the Seiyukai party, as well as the curbing of the army's independent actions and a major breakthrough in the context of Taisho democracy.

[Tsunehisa Abe]

"Yamamoto Shiro, 'Basic Research on the Taisho Political Crisis' (1970, Ochanomizu Shobo)" ▽ "Yui Masaomi, 'The Problem of Adding Two Divisions and the Military' (included in Komazawa Historical Studies, No. 17, 1970, Komazawa University Historical Society)" ▽ "Sakano Junji, 'The Taisho Political Crisis' (1982, Minerva Shobo)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1913年（大正2）2月、第一次憲政擁護運動によって第三次桂(かつら)太郎内閣が倒れた政変。前年12月、2個師団増設要求がいれられず上原勇作(うえはらゆうさく)陸相が辞任、陸軍が後任陸相を出さなかったため、第二次西園寺公望(さいおんじきんもち)内閣は総辞職し、宮中に退いた内大臣桂太郎が組閣した。この事態は陸軍・藩閥の横暴と受け止められ、憲政擁護運動を興起させた。桂首相は従来のような政友会との妥協策をとらず、議会の停会を重ねながら新党（立憲同志会）結成によって事態を打開しようとしたが、民衆運動の激高、政友会の護憲運動への全面的参加のなかで孤立し、2月10日民衆が議会を包囲するなかで総辞職を決めた。民衆の政治的成長が背景にあり、長州閥と政友会の提携である桂園時代を終わらせるとともに、陸軍の独走を抑え、大正デモクラシー状況を大きく切り開く意義をもった。

［阿部恒久］

『山本四郎著『大正政変の基礎的研究』（1970・御茶の水書房）』▽『由井正臣「2個師団増設問題と軍部」（『駒沢史学』第17号所収・1970・駒沢大学史学会）』▽『坂野潤治著『大正政変』（1982・ミネルヴァ書房）』

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