Kenseito

Kenseito of the two main political parties. There are various translations of the name; Constitutional Party is common. The group was considered relatively more liberal than Seiyukai in that it stressed constitutional structure, although neither could be considered liberal in a Western sense.

Shigenobu Okuma and Taisuke Itagaki cofounded it in 1898. It soon split into factions, thoe members of the old Liberal Party retaining the Kenseito , and the old Shinpoto (Progressive Party) faction calling itself the Kensei Honto (Real Constitutional Party). Nevertheless, Kenseito did put governments together.