 Meiji period Japan was dominated by the Meiji oligarchy, who viewed popular democracy and party politics with suspicion.However, after the promulgation of the Meiji Constitution, limited suffrage was extended to male property holders, aged over 25 years, who paid more than 15 Yen in annual taxes for elections to the lower house starting in 1890.The number of voters who qualified under this restriction was around 450,000 (roughly 1 percent of the population).