The was promoted by Japanese author Ikki Kita in the 1930s, with the goal of restoring power to the newly enthroned Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) and abolishing the liberal Taishō Democracy. The aims of the "Shōwa Restoration" were similar to the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...

as the groups who envisioned it imagined a small group of qualified people backing up a strong Emperor. The Cherry Blossom Society envisioned such a restoration. The 1936 aborted coup known as the February 26 Incident was an attempt to bring it about, which failed because they were unable to secure the support of the Emperor. The chief conspirators surrendered in the hope to make their trial advance the cause, a hope that was foiled by the trials being conducted secretly. Rightists continued to aim for a Shōwa Restoration in the

postwar period A post-war or postwar period is the interval immediately following the end of a war. The term usually refers to a varying period of time after World War II, which ended in 1945. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum, w ...

, with the term "restoration" taking on added meaning in the wake of the emperor being stripped of his formal powers by the new 1947 Constitution and renouncing his own divinity during the

occupation of Japan Japan was occupied and administered by the Allies of World War II from the surrender of the Empire of Japan on September 2, 1945, at the war's end until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect on April 28, 1952. The occupation, led by the ...

. The push for a Shōwa Restoration took on renewed urgency in the 1960s in the wake of the 1960 Anpo protests, which many on the right viewed as a precursor to a communist revolution in Japan. A right-wing group that attacked peaceful protesters outside the

National Diet , transcription_name = ''Kokkai'' , legislature = 215th Session of the National Diet , coa_pic = Flag of Japan.svg , house_type = Bicameral , houses = , foundation=29 November 1890(), leader1_type ...

in June 1960 was named the "Restoration Action Corps" (''Ishin Kōdōtai'').

References

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* * Empire of Japan Japanese militarism Kokkashugi Hirohito {{Japan-hist-stub