The Katayama Cabinet (片山内閣, Katayama naikaku) governed Japan under the premiership of Tetsu Katayama from 24 May 1947 to 10 March 1948, during the Allied occupation. It was the first cabinet under the postwar constitution.

Katayama Cabinet

46th Cabinet of Japan
The Katayama Cabinet on June 1, 1947.
Date formedMay 24, 1947
Date dissolvedMarch 10, 1948
People and organisations
EmperorShōwa
Prime MinisterTetsu Katayama
Deputy Prime MinisterHitoshi Ashida
(from June 1, 1947)
Member parties(Allied occupation)
Japan Socialist Party
Democratic Party
National Cooperative Party
Status in legislatureMajority (coalition)
Opposition partiesLiberal Party
Japanese Communist Party
Japan Farmers Party
History
Elections1947 councillors election
1947 Japanese general election
Legislature term2nd National Diet
PredecessorFirst Yoshida Cabinet
SuccessorAshida Cabinet
No majority without coalition: Composition of the House of Representatives after the 1947 general election
Composition of the House of Councillors after the 1947 ordinary election. A majority of the elected independents formed the Ryokufūkai group in the first Diet session.

Cabinet

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The Japan Socialist Party (Nihon Shakaitō, JSP) had emerged as strongest party from both the 23rd lower house election and the 1st upper house election. However, the formation of a coalition proved difficult as any majority coalition would involve at least two of the three largest parties. While the Socialists offered the conservative Japan Liberal Party (Nihon Jiyūtō, JLP) of incumbent prime minister Shigeru Yoshida a grand coalition, Yoshida refused active participation in the government. Under the new constitution, the prime minister was no longer selected by the Emperor, but elected by the Diet, "before the conduct of any other business" – and the Socialists pushed for an early vote to prevent the other two major parties from excluding them from a ruling coalition: on May 23, Socialist Tetsu Katayama was elected almost unopposed (420 votes of 426 present in the House of Representatives, 205 of 207 in the House of Councillors) while the coalition negotiations were still in progress. When Katayama formally became prime minister on May 24 after his ceremonial investiture by the Emperor, he technically held all ministerial posts – a so-called "one-man cabinet" (hitori naikaku, 一人内閣). The JLP still refused cooperation, and the JSP eventually agreed on a coalition with the Democratic Party (Minshutō) and the National Cooperative Party (Kokumin Kyōdōtō). Together, the three parties held a solid majority in the HR, and were able to control the HC given the fact that the largest group there, the Ryokufūkai formed by independents, was willing to support the government. The other cabinet members were eventually appointed on June 1. The cabinet initially consisted of seven Socialists (including the prime minister), eight Democrats, two Cooperativists and one Ryokufūkai member.

After conflicts over price controls and taxes, the left wing of the Socialist Party threatened to block the budget for fiscal 1948 (begins in April), and in February 1948, Katayama resigned. Deputy prime minister Hitoshi Ashida was elected on February 21 to succeed him, the Katayama Cabinet remained in office until his investiture on March 10. The three-party coalition of Socialists, Democrats and Cooperativists continued under Democrat Ashida, however the Ashida Cabinet would be engulfed by the largest corruption scandal of the occupation period and last even shorter.

Portfolio Name Political party Term start Term end
Prime Minister Tetsu Katayama Socialist May 24, 1947 March 10, 1948
Deputy Prime Minister Hitoshi Ashida Democratic June 1, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister for Foreign Affairs Tetsu Katayama (acting) Socialist May 24, 1947 June 1, 1947
Hitoshi Ashida Democratic June 1, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of Home Affairs Tetsu Katayama (acting) Socialist May 24, 1947 June 1, 1947
Kozaemon Kimura Democratic June 1, 1947 December 31, 1947
Minister of Finance Tetsu Katayama (acting) Socialist May 24, 1947 June 1, 1947
Yano Shōtarō Democratic June 1, 1947 June 25, 1947
Takeo Kurusu Independent June 25, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of Justice Tetsu Katayama (acting) Socialist May 24, 1947 June 1, 1947
Suzuki Yoshio Socialist June 1, 1947 February 15, 1948
Attorney General Suzuki Yoshio Socialist February 15, 1948 March 10, 1948
Minister of Education Tetsu Katayama (acting) Socialist May 24, 1947 June 1, 1947
Morito Tatsuo Socialist June 1, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of Health Tetsu Katayama (acting) Socialist May 24, 1947 June 1, 1947
Hitotsumatsu Sadayoshi Democratic June 1, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Tetsu Katayama (acting) Socialist May 24, 1947 June 1, 1947
Hirano Rikizō Socialist June 1, 1947 November 4, 1947
Tetsu Katayama (acting) Socialist November 4, 1947 December 13, 1947
Hatano Kanae Socialist December 13, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of Commerce and Industry Tetsu Katayama (acting) Socialist May 24, 1947 June 1, 1947
Mizutani Chōzaburō Socialist June 1, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of Transport Tetsu Katayama (acting) Socialist May 24, 1947 June 1, 1947
Tomabechi Gizō Democratic June 1, 1947 December 4, 1947
Kitamura Tokutarō Democratic December 4, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of Communications Tetsu Katayama (acting) Socialist May 24, 1947 June 1, 1947
Takeo Miki National Cooperative June 1, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of Labor Yonekubo Mitsusuke Socialist September 1, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of State

Director-General of the Economic Stabilization Board

Vacant May 24, 1947 June 1, 1947
Wada Hirō Independent June 1, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of State

Chief of the Price Board

Vacant May 24, 1947 May 27, 1947
Tetsu Katayama Socialist May 27, 1947 June 1, 1947
Wada Hirō Independent June 1, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of State

President of the Demobilization Board (from June 1, 1947, until October 15, 1947)

Director-General of the Board of Reparations (from February 1, 1948)

Sasamori Junzō National Cooperative June 1, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of State

President of the Administrative Research Board

Saitō Takao Democratic June 1, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of State

Chairman of the Local Finance Committee (from January 7, 1948)

Takeda Giichi Democratic December 4, 1947 March 10, 1948
Minister of State

President of the Construction Board

Kozaemon Kimura Democratic January 1, 1948 March 10, 1948
Minister of State Hayashi Heima Democratic June 1, 1947 November 25, 1947
Minister of State Yonekubo Mitsusuke Socialist June 1, 1947 September 1, 1947
Minister of State

Chief Cabinet Secretary

Suehiro Nishio Socialist June 1, 1947 March 10, 1948
Director-General of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau Satō Tatsuo [ja] Independent June 14, 1947 February 15, 1948
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Takikawa Sueichi Socialist June 10, 1947 March 10, 1948
Sone Eki Independent June 17, 1947 March 10, 1948
Source:[1]

References

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  1. ^ "Katayama Cabinet". Prime Minister's Official Residence.
  • Kantei, Japanese Cabinet: Katayama Cabinet (in Japanese)
  • Kohno, Masaru (1997): Japan's Postwar Party Politics. Princeton, pp. 49–67, "Chapter 4: Coalition building under the pre-1955 multiparty system".