Emperor Yoshihito → sickly → too weak to excersise his authority over Japans government. Many of the Genro → advised that emperor had also left japans political scene due to age. without strong emperor or the Genro to unify the government divisions between court officials - civilian politicians and military worsened.
- Military → opposed the internationalist policy of diplomacy and trade led by civilian politicians and resented the prime ministers and their cabinets - for cutting military’s budget.
- Military → began to act on its own.
- They disregarded the prime ministers and cabinets and emperor Yoshihito could not enforce much control over them.
Civilian politicians in the cabinet and the diet → were also divided → because of the emergence of party politics. 2 political parties → elected into the diet, Seiyukai, and Minseito → were political rivals which wrestled for power and influence in the government. divisions → between these 2 parties → made it challenging for the PM to gain support of the majority. → many of the Taisho Period Prime ministers → and their cabinets → did not remain in power for so long. Some cabinets → could not be formed when military refused to supply ministers for the army and the navy.
| 1. The prime minister was appointed by the emperor → with the advice of the Genro. the leader → of the most successful political party → in an election was not always appointed. | 2. in order to get new laws passed by the diet → PM had to gain majority support from the Diet. However → this was challenging because diet was a coalition government → with multiple political parties. Politicians from opposing parties → could refuse to support the Prime ministers decisions. |
| 3. The prime ministers had to take into account the interests of the Genro and the Privy council. → Privy council → advised the emperor and had enough influence to overturn decisions made by the prime minister. → Privy council forced some prime ministers to resign. | 4. another problem → was that military leaders → were appointed by emperor → Not prime minister. This meant PM → did not have authority to remove military officials who did not follow his policies. |