Japan's Early Parliaments, 1890-1905: Structure, Issues and Trends (Nissan Institute Routledge Japanese Studies Series)

Japan's Early Parliaments, 1890-1905 is the first detailed study of the early history of the Japanese Diet, providing a thorough discussion of the origins of the Japanese parliament, still the central institution of Japanese politics, and its development during this formative period. Drawn from primary sources, including the Diet records and contemporary newspaper reports, the studies in this book cover specific topics and issues debated in the Diet such as the land tax increase, the debate on poor relief, and the Japanese Commercial Code of 1890. The authors also look at the structure of the Diet and the role of the separate Houses, setting their findings in the context of wider Japanese political history. Book Cover......Page 1 Half-Title......Page 2 Series......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Preface and acknowledgements......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 1 The House of Peers (1890-1905): structure, groups and role......Page 16 2 Land tax increase: the debates of December 1898......Page 40 3 The debate on poor relief, 1890......Page 64 4 Changing Diet attitudes to the Peace Preservation Ordinance, 1890-2......Page 83 5 Foreign affairs debates, 1890-1......Page 107 6 The Japanese Commercial Code of 1890, and its reception in the first two sessions of the Imperial Diet, 1890-1......Page 166 Conclusions......Page 199 Appendix: Brief biographies......Page 211 Bibliography......Page 225 Index......Page 230 The first known detailed study of the early history of the Japanese Diet, providing thorough discussion of the origins of the Japanese parliament and it's development during this formative period. Drawn from primary sources.