Japan Socialist Party (1906)

The Japan Socialist Party (Nihon Shakai-tō (日本社会党)) was a socialist political party in Japan that existed for a brief period during the late Meiji era. It was founded on 24 February 1906, becoming the first legal socialist party in the country's history.

The party's legalization took place during a significant, albeit temporary, liberalization under the government of Saionji Kinmochi. From its inception, it was beset by internal ideological conflict between two main factions. One, led by figures like Sakai Toshihiko and Tazoe Tetsuji, advocated for a moderate parliamentary strategy and universal suffrage. The other, led by Kōtoku Shūsui following his return from the United States, rejected parliamentary politics in favor of direct action, specifically advocating for a general strike as the primary means of social revolution.

This ideological struggle came to a head at the party's first and only annual convention in February 1907. Although neither faction won a decisive victory, the party's platform adopted a more radical tone, alarming the government. Citing the party's open debates on anarchism and direct action, the Saionji government ordered its dissolution on 22 February 1907, just under a year after its formation. Its brief existence and subsequent suppression marked a turning point, ushering in a period of increased government hostility towards leftist movements in Japan.