Junji Banno is Director of the Institute of Social Science at the University of Tokyo. J.A.A. Stockwin is Nissan Professor of Modern Japanese Studies at the University of Oxford and Director of the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies.

`This is an important work of scholarship translated into English with great skill... can be read with profit by all political historians interested in the creation of constitutional systems.' - Ian Neary, Asian Affairs`Banno is fortunate in having a translator who is a specialist in Japanese politics, J.A.A. Stockwin, who writes as clearly in English as Banno does in Japanese. Their approach in this translation - working closely together over many months - guaranteed accuracy to the original and smoothness in rendition... Banno's contribution will long remain the standard work in English on the subject.' - George Akita, Monumenta Nipponica

• Introduction: Issues and methods Part I The political situation before the Sino-Japanese War 1 Some problems of transcendentalism 2 ‘Enrich the Nation and Strengthen the Armed Forces’ and ‘Lighten the People’s Burdens’ as issues in the early Diet sessions Part II Political conflict after the Sino-Japanese War 3 Post-war reconstruction and the reactions of various political forces 4 The formation of the Yamagata faction 5 The question of increasing the land tax 6 The collapse of the party Cabinet 7 Concluding the land tax increase bill