The Japanese government is not opposed to…

The Japanese government is not opposed to parliamentary rule, but, confronted with the drive for "people's rights," it has continued to try to control the political situation.

New laws in 1875 had prohibited press criticism of the government or discussion of national laws.

The Public Assembly Law (1880) severely limits public gatherings by disallowing attendance by civil servants and requiring police permission for all meetings.

Within the ruling circle, however, and despite the conservative approach of the leadership, Okuma continues as a lone advocate of British-style government, a government with political parties and a cabinet organized by the majority party, answerable to the national assembly.

He calls for elections to be held by 1882 and for a national assembly to be convoked by 1883; in doing so, he precipitates a political crisis that ends with an 1881 imperial rescript declaring the establishment of a national assembly in 1890 and dismissing Okuma.