Emperor Taisho, was not anywhere the equal of his father. During his reign from 1912 to 1926, others fought for the power that Emperor Taisho had, as he did not seem to be overly concerned with having it. Emperor Taisho had other problems, mainly a host of physical ailments that preoccupied his time and limited his abilities. Most of these problems were neurological, but the emperor suffered from a host of other issues as well, such as a serious lack of charisma and an inability to articulate well, which served to alienate him from others and vice versa. Unlike his father, who was often seen throughout the country and in the papers, Emperor Taisho secluded himself from the public. This was also encouraged by military men and politicians looking to take more power for themselves.

Though the movement toward a more Western parliamentary democracy had been growing for some time, it was not until the end of World War I that Japan shifted to a two-party parliamentary system. There were benefits to this since more opinions could be heard and the people had more of a say in government. But this "democratizing" of the country rankled some, especially those with samurai/aristocratic backgrounds. Though the samurai had officially been abolished as a class under Emperor Meiji, old ways, traditions, and ideas were tightly hung onto. The Japanese emperor still had the final say, but under Taisho, power moved to the genro (men from samurai backgrounds who had supported Emperor Meiji), the Lord Privy Seal, and the head of the Imperial Household.