Convention launching Japan Socialist Party, November 2, 1945 (Showa 20) From "Nihon Shakaitoshi"

With the end of the war, moves began to reestablish the political parties that had disbanded and merged under the wartime Yokusan (Imperial Assistance) political framework. On 9 November 1945 (Showa 20), the Japan Liberal Party was founded by HATOYAMA Ichiro, ANDO Masazumi, and ASHIDA Hitoshi, all of whom had served as the core of the anti-TOJO Dokokai in the wartime Diet, and which had links to the prewar Seiyukai (Association of Friends of Constitutional Government). Meanwhile, the Japan Progressive Party was founded on 16 November by TSURUMI Yusuke and others who had constituted the majority faction within the Imperial Rule Assistance Political Society, the core of the Yokusan (Imperial Assistance) system. In addition, the Japan Socialist Party was established on 2 November led by NISHIO Suehiro, HIRANO Rikizo, MIZUTANI Chozaburo and others from the prewar proletariat parties, rallying together socialists of all stripes. On 4 October the GHQ's Civil Liberties Directive freed TOKUDA Kyuichi and other leaders of the Japan Communist Party from prison; after while, they revived the publication of Akahata (Red Flag) on 20 October. In short measure, the Japan Communist Party commenced its activities enthusiastically, holding its 4th Reconstruction Convention in December.

Meanwhile, GHQ directed John Emerson, a member of the Political Advisory Mission dispatched by the U.S. State Department, and who was well-versed in Japan's situation, to start writing a weekly report called "Political Parties in Japan." Emerson closely followed the movements of the various Japanese political groups; but in his first report, he had handed down the harsh analysis that there was little expectation that Japan could ever become a truly democratic country.