Crowd assembled before the House of Representatives gate, February 5, 1913 (Taisho 2). "Mede Miru Gikai Seiji 100nenshi"

The 2nd SAIONJI Cabinet was succeeded by the 3rd KATSURA Cabinet. The Cabinet was condemned both inside and outside the Diet for blurring the distinction between Court and Government, as KATSURA was serving as well as Emperor Taisho's Keeper of the Privy Seal and Grand Chamberlain. KATSURA tried to organize a new political party in opposition to the Movement to Protect the Constitution, but in the end, his Cabinet resigned en masse. Still, his plan to establish a new party finally bore fruit with the formation of the Association of Believers in Constitutional Government (Rikken Doshikai), paving the way for the later two party system of party cabinets.

The 1st YAMAMOTO Gonnohyoe put in place the system where by only military men in active service were allowed to become Army and Navy Ministers. The 1st YAMAMOTO Cabinet collapsed on account of the 1914 (Taisho 3) Siemens scandal. The 2nd OKUMA Cabinet followed with the support of the Genro, with the Rikken Doshikai serving as the ruling party.

Ruined Ypres, Belgium after the World War I Taisho period. From "Document Showa Vol.1"

When the World War I broke out in 1914 (Taisho 3), the 2nd OKUMA Cabinet decided to enter the war against Germany using the Anglo-Japanese Alliance as justification. Japan, the following year, forced the so-called Twenty one Demands on China as a way to expand Japan's rights in that country. (and secure hegemony over it.) The closing doup of the war, witnessed rice hoarding related to the expedition of Japanese troops to Siberia, giving rise to the Rice Riots, greatly shocking Japan's leadership.

The Paris Peace Conference, was convened in 1919 (Taisho 8) and residted in the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1920 on the basis of which the League of Nations was established. The international security framework that followed was known as the 'Versailles system.' The postwar world order was further defined by various treaties, including the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 (Taisho 11).

In 1918 (Taisho 7), HARA Takashi, the head of the Rikken Seiyukai, organized Japan's first "true" party Cabinet. The party splintered with HARA's assassination in 1921 (Taisho 10), and was followed by transition Cabinets. The formation of a so-called "transcendent" Cabinet by KIYOURA Keigo led to the 2nd Movement to Protect the Constitution. KATO Takaaki, head of the Kenseikai (Constitutional Government Association), then formed a coalition cabinet known as the Three-Factions Cabinet, made up of the Kenseikai, the Seiyukai, and the Kakushin Kurabu (Reform Club). In 1925 (Taisho 14), the Universal Manhood Suffrage Law took effect, after which the Seiyukai and Minseito, the latter of which was the successor to the Rikken Doshikai and the Kenseikai, alternated in controling the Government, heralding the beginning of the era of party cabinets.