Hara Takashi, who served as the Prime Minister of Japan from 1918 until his assassination in 1921, was a key figure in Japanese politics during a time of significant social and political change. His tenure was marked by efforts to modernize the nation and improve relations with Western powers. However, his policies, particularly concerning military expansion and political reforms, were met with opposition from various nationalist and militaristic factions within Japan. On November 4, 1921, he attended an official event in Tokyo when he was approached by Tōkichi Yui, a member of an ultranationalist organization. Yui, expressing strong dissatisfaction with Hara’s leadership, fatally attacked him with a dagger in a shocking act of political violence. The attack occurred in the context of rising tensions as Japan grappled with its identity and the role it was to play on the world stage, coming out of World War I and into a time of military expansionism. Hara’s assassination sent shockwaves through the political landscape, leading to increased scrutiny over nationalist groups and their growing influence in shaping policy.