Movement opposing the Peace Preservation Law. From "Nihon 100nen no Kiroku. Shashin Zusetsu Vol.2"

The Universal Manhood Suffrage Movement had become inactive with the expansion of electaural rights by the HARA Cabinet and the discord among the Movement's leaders. At the 45th Diet in 1922 (Taisho 11), however, the opposition parties united in submitting a bill for a Universal Manhood Suffrage Law. Meanwhile, the Government also took some steps toward the realization of universal manhood suffrage. Among them the Cabinet of KATO Tomosaburo established a House of Representatives Election Study Group, and the short-lived 2nd YAMAMOTO Cabinet also declared its support of universal manhood suffrage.

Under the KATO Takaaki Cabinet given birth by the 2nd Movement to Protect the Constitution, the three coalition parties, the Kenseikai (Constitutional Government Association), the Seiyukai (Association of Friends of Constitutional Government), and the Kakushin Kurabu (Reform Club), drew up the "Draft of the three Factions' Committee's Decision on Universal Manhood Suffrage." In March 1925 (Taisho 14), the bill for the Universal Manhood Suffrage Law passed the Imperial Diet, granting the franchise to all adult male citizens. Under the revised bill, the demand to require all voters to pay taxes, a pending issue for many years, was dropped. The Privy Council and others, however, demanded that those on the public or private dole, including earthquake victims and other poor people, not be granted voting rights, and the Diet accepted that condition. Moreover, in exchange for getting the agreement for passing the Universal Manhood Suffrage Law, the Peace Preservation Law was also passed as an anti-communist measure.