At the end of 1873, during the political upheaval of the 6th year of Meiji, former councilors, such as Itagaki, who resigned from all his government posts after being defeated in debate over whether Japan should send a punitive expedition to Korea (Seikanron), thought about establishing a political party after discussing with people such as Shigeru (Uro) FURUSAWA who came back to Japan from studying in the UK and Shinobu KOMURO.
1873年（明治6年）末、いわゆる明治六年の政変で、征韓論に敗れて下野した板垣ら前参議は、イギリスに留学して帰朝した古沢滋（迂郎）、小室信夫らの意見を聞き、政党の結成を思い立った。