Liberal Party (Japan, 1945)

Liberal Party (自由党, Jiyūtō) was a right-wing party in Japan, founded on November 9, 1945, mainly by former members of Seiyukai Party. Its first leader was Ichirō Hatoyama. In 1946-1947 and 1948-1954, the next party leader Shigeru Yoshida was the Prime Minister.

The initial name of the party was Japan Liberal Party (日本自由党, Nihon Jiyūtō). In 1948, the Japan Liberal Party merged with Kijūrō Shidehara's Democratic Club (民主クラブ), not to be confused with the Democratic Party, to form the Democratic Liberal Party (民主自由党, Minshu Jiyūtō).

Then, in March 1950, the Democratic Liberal Party turned the name to the Liberal Party (自由党), merging with a part of the Democratic Party. The Liberal Party was also known as "Yoshida Liberal Party" from the leader's name Yoshida.

In 1953, Hatoyama went out of the Yoshida Liberal Party and established alternative Japan Liberal Party (日本自由党), also known as Hatoyama Liberal Party. After the general election, 1953, Hatoyama went back to Yoshida Liberal Party.

In 1955, the Liberal Party that started in 1945 ended when Yoshida Liberal Party merged with the Japan Democratic Party to form the Liberal Democratic Party.