ABSTRACT
Constitutions are always born at major turning points in history. In that sense, it was unprecedented that Konoe, representing Japan's old guard, drafted a constitution. It is more common perhaps for a constitution to be written by those who represent the new era. Suzuki was born in Fukushima prefecture in 1904. For Suzuki, Japan's defeat in the war meant not only a restoration of the freedom of speech but also an opportunity to move toward the reality of revising the Meiji Constitution, which had long been the object of his criticism. The historical significance of the defeat was especially clear to Suzuki, a student of constitutional history who had particular interest in the private constitutions written during the years of the People's Rights Movement in the Meiji period. The Liberal Party, that is, the Japan Liberal Party, was formed in November 1945 as a successor of the prewar Seiyukai, with Hatoyama Ichiro as president.
