The History of the Kensetol Party

Ito Hirabumi dissolved the diet and called for new elections after only a few weeks of parliamentary session. Both Itagaki's Giutto and Okuma's party, which by this point had changed its name to the Shinpoto or Progressive Party,. were incensed by what they saw as a heavy-handed act by the Prime Minister. As a result, the two People's parties agreed to emerge in April of 1898. The Kensetol, or Constitutional Government Party, was born.