The next administration led by Prime Minister Gonbei YAMAMOTO, with Rikken Seiyukai (Friends of Constitutional Government) as mainstream party, worked on reform to curb the influence of the Imperial Army and Navy in civilian government, including the abrogation of the law requiring military-related ministers to be active-duty military officers, but was forced into mass resignation in face of public ire over the corruption scandal involving high-ranking navy officers (Siemens Scandal).
続いて設立された立憲政友会を与党とする山本権兵衛内閣は軍部大臣現役武官制の廃止など陸海軍の内閣への発言力を弱める改革に着手したが、海軍高官の贈賄事件（シーメンス事件）の影響により再び国民の怒りを買いに内閣総辞職を余儀なくされた。