The was an advisory body to the Emperor of Japan on military matters, established in 1903 and abolished in 1945. The council was created during the development of representative government in Meiji-era Japan to further strengthen the authority of the state. Its first leader was Yamagata Aritomo (1838âÂÂ1922), who is credited as founder of the modern Imperial Japanese Army and was the first constitutional Prime Minister of Japan.
The Supreme War Council developed a German-style general staff system, with a chief of staff who had direct access to the Emperor and who could operate independently of the army minister and civilian officials. The Supreme War Council was the de facto inner cabinet of Japan prior to the Second Sino-Japanese War.
Towards the end of the second World War, on August 9âÂÂ10, 1945 the six members of the Supreme War Council were:
From November 1937 onward, following Emperor Shà Âwa's order, the Gunji sangikan kaigi was in effect replaced by the (大æΦæ¿åºÂé£絡ä¼Âè° Daihon'ei seifu renraku kaigi). The Liaison Conferences were intended by the Emperor to bring the chiefs of the Army and Navy General Staff into closer consultation with his government, and to assist in integrating the decisions and needs of the two military sections of Imperial General Headquarters with the resources and policies of the rest of the government. The final decisions of Liaison Conferences were formally disclosed and approved at Imperial Conferences over which the Emperor presided in person at the Kyà «den of the Tokyo Imperial Palace.
Its members were the following officials:
In 1944, Prime Minister Kuniaki Koiso established the (æÂÂé«Âæ¦äºÂæÂÂå°Âä¼Âè° Saikà  sensà  shidà  kaigi), which replaced the Imperial General Headquarters-Government Liaison Conference. At the end of World War II, on August 14, 1945, it consisted of: