Abstract
This article analyzes the organizational structure of local branches of the two major political parties in prewar Japan. The Seiyukai aimed for a systematic branch structure to cover all the towns and villages of the country. Therefore, the decisions were made with an emphasis on the organizational system even in selecting official candidates. Conversely, in the Minsei Party, branches were managed by the local representative, and often reflected his intentions in the decision-making process. Both political parties’ branches were set up based on the close relationships between members. The feature of the party branch positively affected the Seiyukai in the countryside. Meanwhile, in cities, it also influenced the emergence of the Minsei Party.
