High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Taish? period, or Taish? era, is a period in the history of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign of the Taish? Emperor. The health of the new emperor was weak, which prompted the shift in political power from the old oligarchic group of elder statesmen (or genr?) to the Diet of Japan and the democratic parties. Thus, the era is considered the time of the liberal movement known as the "Taish? democracy" in Japan; it is usually distinguished from the preceding chaotic Meiji period and the following militarism-driven first half of the Sh?wa period.