Imperial Way Faction

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The Imperial Way Faction (皇道派 kōdōha) was a Japanese right-wing nationalist political grouping, active in the 1930s. It was the political wing for the Japanese military, aiming to establish the military government. It was largely supported by junior officers of the Imperial Japanese Army, and promoted totalitarianism, militarism and expansionism in its doctrine.

One of the founders was Sadao Araki, leader in the movement. Hideki Tojo, the opponent military faction leader, became the effective dictator of Japan in 1941, with command of Imperial forces during the first periods of the Pacific War, until the Saipan disaster in 1944.

Contents

1 Origins of the movement

1.1 Political environment
1.2 Japanese military politics
1.3 Industrialists and militarism

2 Circumstances that allowed the Japanese military to gain political power
3 Political development

3.1 Sadao Araki has his day
3.2 Hideki Tojo succeeds as party leader
3.3 Japanese official establishment in central government
3.4 Political structure in the movement
3.5 The last party chiefs and Prime Ministers

4 Summary
5 See also

Origins of the movement

Political environment

The origins of this party in the 1920s saw the last of the old-style samurai officers going and a new radical breed taking their place in the Japanese military. Officer groups, such as the Double Leaf Society, which were secret societies themselves and with ties to the other secret groups, were formed with the fanatical beliefs of ultranationalism and the need for a purge of the Choshu elements of the army. The Army became divided between the Kodaha (Imperial Benevolent Rule or Action Group) led by Colonel (later General) Sadao Araki and the Toseiha (Control Group) led by General Kazushige Ugaki. The groups later merged and incorporated ideas from right-wing, fascist and right socialist ideologies and political philosophies. Influences were Kita Ikki and Nakano Seigo, amongst others. It drew on the secret political societies of the 1920s. Together, both groups formed a political movement to gain power by democratic elections, or if necessary, by force.

After friction with the civilian government, the Army became more isolated and more of a power unto itself. The government had a better control over the Imperial Japanese Navy, but the grip was weakening, too. Faced with the limits imposed by the Washington Armaments Conference of 1921, the Navy was split into two factions, the Fleet Faction and the Treaty Faction. The latter group prevailed in the beginning, and in the process won a public relations victory. During the 1920s, the civilian government largely managed to keep the radicals in the military in check.

Osachi Hamaguchi replaced Tanaka Giichi as Prime Minister in 1928 and formed a new cabinet. Initial public confidence bolstered Hamaguchi's government and allowed him to successfully challenge the military radicals and get the London Naval Conference of 1930 treaty ratified. That was the last pre-war instance of true civilian government, and real challenge to the military radicals. Hamaguchi was the target of an assassination attempt on November 14, 1930. The assassin was Tomeo Sagoya, a member of the Aikoku-sha (Love of Country Association), yet another ultranationalist secret sect. Hamaguchi survived but was hospitalized for several months. He returned to his post in March 1931 but resigned a month later.

Following the war, a peace movement developed in Japan; the militarists might have begun to lose their power. Several events conspired, however, to destroy any hopes of ousting them. A major influence was the way in which the United States acted, and came to be perceived in Japan: America grew to become Japan's clear rival during this period. The USA opposed Japan's territorial acquisitions, and any geo-political moves Japan would make, as Japan pursued her emerging colonial aspirations. Relations, already soured, continued a gradual but steady decline with each year.

Factional strife continued until December 25, 1926 when the weak Emperor Taisho died. Crown Prince Hirohito took over the throne. The Great Depression saw unchecked military plots. The target was the overt colonization of Manchuria and other key parts of China. Shortly the Kwantung Army took matters into its own hands, and moved through Manchuria.

Japanese military politics

The Kodoha faction, later a real party, was a political wing of the Imperial Armed forces. The real idea of the Army militarists, in the Right-socialist and right-wing line, was a return to the old Shogunate system, but in the form of a modern Military Shogunate. In such a government the Emperor would once more be a figurehead (as in the Edo period). Real power would fall to a leader, in fact very similar to a Führer or Duce, though with the power less nakedly held. On the other hand, the Navy militarists defended the Emperor and a monarchial constitution. For them the religious aspect was significant.

From 1905 and victory in the Russo-Japanese War, the Army and Navy had high confidence in their ability to roll back the Western great powers, given only time and resources. From that point of view, democratic institutions existed on tolerance.

The actual position of the Showa Emperor has been much discussed. He was most important as nationalist symbol, taking its place in the constructed State Shintoism. Subjects believed him to be the supreme leader, with power to promote or dismiss in central government. While the popular image was that he was well and effectively advised, as well as holding power, a group of fictional advisers and non-military aristocrats, without real function, constituted those nearest the Throne. The military men operated at a little distance.

Industrialists and militarism

At same time, the capitalist groups or zaibatsu (principally Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Yasuda) could see themselves as the Krupps of the future. Raw materials were a major concern. Fumimaro Konoye synthesised pressing social concerns, and the needs of capital, as a planned expansionist mission.

The seeds of World War Two which were long in germinating were planted in the mid 19th century. In hindsight, the reasons for the war were largely economic. The seizure or protection of spheres of influence, the maintenance of territorial integrity, the acquisition of raw materials as well as Asian markets for the commercial opportunities they presented were all reasons which would eventually account for so much loss of life and national treasure.

Western nations, notably Great Britain, France, and the United States, had for more than one hundred years prior to the outbreak of hostilities exhibited great interest in the commercial opportunities in China and other parts of Asia. These opportunities had attracted Western investment for the exploitation of raw materials for the manufacture of products not only for domestic consumption but for export of finished goods back to the Orient

These opportunities were eyed covetously by Japan through what was to become known as the Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere.

Once outright war was joined, the Domei Tsushin Press Agency would celebrate the quality of Japan's armaments. Mitsubishi and the others had taken the measure of the "white barbarians".

Circumstances that allowed the Japanese military to gain political power

In a close to chaotic political (and economic and social) situation, the military were considered politically "clean" in terms of political corruption, and assumed responsibility for 'restoring' the security of the nation. The armed forces took up criticism of the traditional democratic parties and regular government for many reasons (low funds for the armed forces, compromised national security, weakness of the leaders). They were also, by their composition, closely aware of the effects of economic depression on the middle and lower classes, and the communist threat. This explains the victory in elections for General Tojo, becoming Prime Minister, and the lack of effective obstacles to complete political power.

The massive economic growth the zaibatsu groups had enjoyed during WWI came to a grinding halt in the early 1920s, as the wartime levels of production glutted the markets and drove down prices. Radical leftists in the labor unions (syndicalists, and Communists with Soviet outside support), came in the wake of Japan's industrial birth, attracting violence and social unrest to their causes. The military saw danger and decided to take direct action.

Under the Peace Preservations Acts (mid-1920s), the Kempeitai and other police and government security groups started to crack down on the unrest, that would last until World War II began. During this time the Army became mutinous, and brought much more power into its grasp. Young recruits came from the harsh life of the peasantry.

Militarists and secret society members waged a war against every moderating voice heard in Japanese politics. Assassinations and coups were the rule of the day. Even when they failed, they wrung concessions. Secret societies flourished, and the Kwantung Army and the Kempeitai became largely autonomous. The Second Sino-Japanese war in China brought matters to a head.

Political development

Sadao Araki has his day

Araki Sadao was an important figurehead and "political and thinking father" of the party; his first ideological works date from his leadership of the Kodaha (Imperial Benevolent Rule or Action Group), opposed by the Toseiha (Control Group) led by General Kazushige Ugaki. He linked the ancient (bushido code) and contemporary local and European fascist ideals (Japanese fascism), to form the ideological basis of the movement (Showa nationalism).

From September 1932, the Japanese were becoming more locked into the course that would lead them into the Second World War and Araki was leading the way. Totalitarianism, militarism and expansionism were to become the rule and fewer voices would be able even to speak against it. In a September 23 news conference Araki first mentioned the philosophy of "Kodoha" (The Imperial Way). The concept of Kodo linked the Emperor, the people, land and morality as one and indivisible. This led to the creation of a "new" Shinto and increased Emperor worship.

Araki also devised Seishin Kyoiku (spiritual training) for the army and the Kikosaku security doctrine of the Kempeitai. The state was being transformed into a creation that served the Army and the Emperor, while the Army transformed into a fanatical force. Symbolically katana sword came back into fashion as the martial embodiment of these beliefs, and the Nambu pistol became its contemporary equivalent, with the implicit message that the Army doctrine of close combat would prevail.

Hideki Tojo succeeds as party leader

See:Hideki Tojo succeeds as party leader and Prime Minister(1941-1944)

Japanese official establishment in central government

See: Japanese central government (WWII)

Political structure in the movement

The Kodoha party, like any political movement, had a structure. The highest placed were the secretary general and supreme party leader (first Sadao Araki, later Hideki Tojo and Koiso Kuniaki) and their leading group or "directorate" (political cabinet). The most important founders and party associates included also Jinsaburo Mazaki, Heisuke Yanagawa, Hideyoshi Obata, Kazushige Ugaki, Gen Sugiyama, Yoshijiro Umezu, and Tetsuzan Nagata. Doctrines came also from the middle and lower party members (see Japanese doctrines in the Showa Period). Influence and contact with real power and central government institutions (and overseas also) was a constant concern.

Important institutional links were with the Imperial Young Federation, under Kingoro Hashimoto and the "Political Department" of the Kempeitai. Amongst the himitsu kessha (secret societies), the Kokuryu-kai (Black Dragon Society), and Kokka Shakai Shugi Gakumei (the National Socialist League) were close, and a source of less scrupulous supporters. The Tonarigumi (residents committee) groups, the Nation Service Society (national government trade union) and Imperial Farmers Association were all allied. The state religious and educational systems were also targets. Direct links with Army and Navy political sections supported the formation of similar right-wing movements in all the occupied lands of the early Pacific War.

The last party chiefs and Prime Ministers

The final party chiefs and Prime Ministers were Koiso Kuniaki and Kantaro Suzuki, in 1944-45. The former was from the fall of Saipan in summer 1944, and the latter from the Japanese defeat in the Battle of Okinawa.

Summary

The "Imperial Way Faction" represented the principal right-wing political movement in the Empire of Japan from some point in the 1930s, emerging from a welter of similar groups and secret societies. In 1941, as a political party, it achieved the goal of real power. Its members led all political and military national efforts during the Pacific War.

It was abolished, with the other nationalist organizations, by the Allied occupation authorities in 1945.