Editing Shigeru Yoshida (section)

===Opposition===
The election was held in [[1947 Japanese general election|April 1947 election]]. Yoshida himself stood for election for the first time, choosing for his constituency [[Kochi Prefecture]], where his family originated.{{sfn|Yoshida|Nara|2007|p=71}} While Yoshida won his election, a plurality of the seats in the House of Representatives went to the [[Japan Socialist Party]]. Yoshida was approached by [[Tetsu Katayama]] and [[Suehiro Nishio]], respectively chairman and secretary general of the Socialist Party, about including the Liberal Party in a [[grand coalition]], but he declined because he considered the left-wing of the Socialist Party too close to the communists. The Socialists instead formed a coalition with only the [[Democratic Party (Japan, 1947)|Democratic Party]], which had been formed by merging the Progressive Party with defectors led by [[Hitoshi Ashida]] from the Liberal Party, and the [[National Cooperative Party]]. Yoshida was succeeded by [[Tetsu Katayama]] on 24 May 1947.{{sfn|Finn|1992|p=149}}{{sfn|Finn|1992|p=162}}

Yoshida and his party thus entered the opposition. Yoshida used this time to strengthen his party and consolidate his leadership. Shortly after the [[Katayama Cabinet]] was replaced by the [[Ashida Cabinet]] in March 1948, the Liberal Party formed into the [[Democratic Liberal Party (Japan)|Democratic Liberal Party]] by merging with a breakaway group led by Shidehara from the Democratic Party.{{sfn|Finn|1992|pp=169-170}}