Liberal Party (Japan, 1890) saw the party reduced to 107 seats. In April 1896 it joined Itō Hirobumi's government and Liberal leader Itagaki Taisuke was appointed Minister of Home Affairs. After losing another two seats in the March 1898 elections, the party merged with Shimpotō in June 1898 to form the Kenseitō. Liberal Party (Japan, 1890) The Liberal Party (, "Jiyūtō") was a political party in Japan. The party was established in August 1890 by 130 members of the House of Representatives who had been elected in July, and was initially named the Constitutional Liberal Party (立憲自由党, "Rikken Jiyūtō"). It was a merger of
Japan Progressive Party a group from the National Cooperative Party. At the end of March the decision was taken to dissolved the JPP and form the Democratic Party. Japan Progressive Party The Japan Progressive Party (, "Nihon Shimpotō") was a political party in Japan. The party was established on 16 November 1945 by a group of 273 MPs, of whom 89 had been Rikken Minseitō members and 46 from Rikken Seiyūkai; many had been elected with the backing of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association in the 1942 elections. Machida Chūji was appointed party president after the post was turned down by Keizo Shibusawa.