1928 Japanese General Election

16th General elections were held in Japan on 20 February 1928. Minseito, led by Hamaguchi Osachi, won more seats than Seiyukai at the House of Representatives for the first time, resulting in the collapse of the National Unity Cabinet led by Tanaka Giichi. Voter turnout was 80.3%.
After Seiyukai's overwhelming victory in the 1924 election, Seiyukai began to divide. When party leader Hara Takashi announced his retirement and respected economist Takahashi Korekiyo took the helm of Seiyukai, members of the party opposing the party's excessive conservatism and rigidity began to criticize Takahashi. Since 1925, many lawmakers have left Seiyukai to join the Kakushin Club led by Inukai Tsuyoshi, and Seiyukai's power has gradually weakened.
Kenseikai, who recorded back-to-back defeats, took advantage of Seiyukai's split and began to stimulate the voter sentiment of the urban middle class and the bourgeoisie. Meanwhile, with the collapse of Tokyo's financial market in 1927, Showa Economic Crisis hit Japan, which served as an opportunity for Kenseikai. The ball fell to Kenseikai's court when Seiyukai's Uchida Cabinet failed to solve the crisis early. The Wakatsuki Cabinet, the first cabinet led by Kenseikai with the approval of the emperor, was thus launched in April 1927.
However, Wakatsuki Cabinet ended in five months due to the continuous opposition and obstruction of Seiyukai, and the National Unity Cabinet led by Tanaka Giachi of Seiyukai was launched to resolve the economic crisis. But Tanaka Cabinet was also unable to resolve the economic crisis due to persistent disputes, and under these circumstances, the 1928 general election was held.
The result was a victory for Kenseikai, who renamed himself Minseito. Seiyukai, who failed to resolve the internal divisions within the party, lost many of its members to Inukai's Shinshi Club, only winning significantly fewer seats than Minseito. Meanwhile, Shakai Taishuto, led by Katayama Tetsu, who first appeared in the election, created a sensation with seven seats. The result of this election also ended Tanaka Cabinet's short five-month term, with the first Cabinet, Hamaguchi Cabinet, which Minseito led on its own.
Category:General elections in Japan