Hara, Takashi (Kei) (1856-1921)

Japanese politician, president 1918-21. As the head of the majority party in the Diet (parliament), he became prime minister in 1918 and presided over the first party cabinet since the establishment of the Meiji Constitution. He proved to be a conservative premier, moving cautiously on political and social reform. Although he expanded the electorate by lowering tax qualifications, he did not endorse the principle of universal manhood suffrage.

From a samurai family, he worked as a newspaper editor before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1882. He resigned from government service to join the Seiyukai, a political party formed in 1900, and shortly afterwards gained a seat in the lower house of the Diet. As Home Minister in various non-party cabinets (1906-08, 1911-12, and 1913-14) and leader of the Seiyukai, he was able to advance the party's interests by appointing pro-Seiyukai provincial governors and promoting regional economic development. He was assassinated by an ultra-nationalistic fanatic.