Page:Constitutional imperialism in Japan (IA constitutionalim00clemrich).pdf/43

the election of 1912, passed the budget, with a reduction, however, of 30,000,000 yen from the naval appropriation. The House of Peers voted a reduction of 70,000,000 yen, “the whole of the new appropriation.” When a conference of the two Houses failed to effect any compromise, it happened that the whole budget “failed to materialize.” The Yamamoto Cabinet resigned and the Diet adjourned.

The thirty-second, the thirty-third and the thirty-fourth sessions were all special ones. The first one was necessitated by the death of the Empress-Dowager and was marked by unanimity. The thirty-third session presented the interesting spectacle of the new Okuma Cabinet, with only a small number of supporters in the House of Representatives, confronting the Seiyukai with its large absolute majority. Although the Ministry was implacable, yet, as its program presented no great issue for a difference of opinion, the Seiyukai wisely refrained from carrying their opposition so far as to refuse to pass the important special budget. The thirty-fourth session, necessitated by Japan’s ultimatum to Germany, was harmonious.

The thirty-fifth session (ordinary), however, found the Seiyukai taking a firm stand against the Government on the budget, on the ground of opposition to the army increment feature; so that Okuma decided to appeal to the people by a dissolution.

The thirty-sixth session (special), with the Okuma Cabinet supported by a large absolute majority, obtained in the election, passed the army increment bill which had wrecked two strong cabinets. And it is one of the frequent paradoxes of Japanese politics, that the popular Premier Okuma finally put through that most unpopular measure.

After this somewhat detailed consideration of the thirty-six sessions of the Imperial Diet, it may be profitable to examine the tables on pages 25 and 26; for they throw some light on various points. It is instructive to note that, during the first decade, there were fourteen sessions (of which, of course, four were special); five cases each of suspension and dissolution, the latter of which necessitated five special elec-