Its first meaning is a reference to the Japanese military leadership which exploited its privileged status to vie against the civilian government for control over the nation's policies (particularly during the early Shōwa era).
A major factor in the political power of the military was its complete freedom from civilian control, as guaranteed under the Meiji Constitution.
Although this tactic was actually used only once (ironically to prevent General Kazushige Ugaki from becoming prime minister in 1937), the threat always loomed large when the military made any demands on the civilian leadership.
This created two major issues: Chōshū and Satsuma were historically enemies, and their traditional enmity came to be reflected on the rivalry and lack of cooperation between the two main branches of the Japanese military.
[3] Just as the Army overcame issues with residual feudalism, problems began to arise between rival cliques of officers who claimed to represent the “true will” of the Emperor.
In basic terms, these cliques fell under the Imperial Way Faction with many young activists who were strongly supportive of the hokushin-ron strategy of a preemptive strike against the Soviet Union and the opposing Control Faction, which sought to impose greater discipline over the Army and war with China as a strategic imperative.