The Liberal Democratic Party, also known as Jimintō, is a major conservative and nationalist political party in Japan. Since its foundation in 1955, the LDP has been in power almost continuously—a per
Launching convention, 15 November 1955
Liberal Democratic Hall Bldg., Headquarters of the LDP in Tokyo
The House of Representatives is the lower house of the National Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors is the upper house. The composition of the House is established by Article 41 and Article 42 of
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
…National Diet, and its coalition with Komeito broke down, leading it to form the LDP–JIP coalition. Led by Takaichi, the party regained a majority in the House of Representatives, winning the biggest number of seats in Japanese electoral history in 2026, holding 316 seats in the House of Representatives and 101 seats in the…
Chamber of the House of Representatives of Japan
Kuroda Kiyotaka, Satsuma samurai and prime minister in the late 1880s, coined the term "transcendentalism" (超然主義, chōzen shugi) on the occasion of the promulgation of the Meiji Constitution in 1889. The oligarchs should try to "transcend" electoral politics and govern without partisan majorities the House of Representatives.
Itō Hirobumi, a Chōshū samurai, member of the House of Peers and prime minister of Japan on three non-consecutive occasions between 1885 and 1901. He was a main architect of the Imperial Constitution which created the Imperial Diet. When the oligarchs attempts to govern "transcendentally" mostly failed in the 1890s, he saw the necessity for permanent allies among elected political parties.
Hara Takashi, although born a Morioka noble, made his career as commoner-politician and became the first and one of only three prime ministers from the House of Representatives in the Empire.