The Supreme War Council (軍事参議院, Gunji sangiin) was an advisory body to the Emperor of Japan on military matters,[1] established in 1903 and abolished in 1945.
[citation needed] The council was established during the development of representative government in Meiji period Japan to further strengthen the authority of the state.
Its first leader was Yamagata Aritomo (1838–1922), credited as founder of the modern Imperial Japanese Army and the first constitutional Prime Minister of Japan.
[citation needed] Towards the end of the second World War, on August 9/10, 1945 the six members of the Supreme War Council were: From November 1937 onward, following Emperor Shōwa's order, the Gunji sangikan kaigi was in effect replaced by the Imperial General Headquarters-Government Liaison Conference (大本営政府連絡会議 Daihon'ei seifu renraku kaigi).
Its members were the following officials: In 1944, Prime Minister Kuniaki Koiso established the Supreme Council for the Direction of the War (最高戦争指導会議 Saikō sensō shidō kaigi), which replaced the Imperial General Headquarters-Government Liaison Conference.