old liberalist; Taishō-era liberal democrat
Historical term used after WWII to refer to intellectuals and politicians who upheld liberal democratic ideals during the Taishō period (1912–1926). Wasei-eigo; not a direct borrowing from English.
wasei-eigo (Japanese-coined English)
戦後、オールドリベラリストと呼ばれた人々は大正デモクラシーの理念を守ろうとした。
After the war, those called old liberalists tried to uphold the ideals of Taishō democracy.
Variant with interpunct; less common but still seen.
Wasei-eigo (Japanese-made English) from 'old' + 'liberalist'. Coined after WWII to describe Taishō-era liberal democrats.