Isabella Carter
The Meiji Constitution, enacted in 1890, was the constitution of the Empire of Japan. It was proclaimed on February 11, 1889, and remained in force until May 2, 1947. The Meiji Constitution established a mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy, creating tensions between democratic and authoritarian tendencies, with the emperor as head of state and the prime minister as head of government. The Meiji Constitution was based on both Prussian and British models, with the organizational structure of the Diet reflecting influences from both nations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Government | Mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy |
| Influences | Prussian, British, German |
| Head of State | Emperor |
| Head of Government | Prime Minister |
| Legislature | Bicameral parliament (the Diet) with an elected lower house |
| Powers of the Emperor | Control of the army and navy, and the power to appoint the Prime Minister and cabinet |
| Powers of the Prime Minister | Actual head of government |
| Rights | Clear limits on the power of the executive branch, guaranteed civil rights and liberties, although subject to limitation by law |
| Judiciary | Independent |
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What You'll Learn
- The Meiji Constitution was based on a mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy
- The Meiji Constitution was influenced by both Prussian and British models
- The Meiji Constitution was drafted by a committee of Japanese officials and foreign advisors
- The Meiji Constitution established clear limits on the power of the Emperor
- The Meiji Constitution created an independent judiciary and guaranteed civil rights and liberties
The Meiji Constitution was based on a mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy
The Meiji Constitution, enacted in 1890, established a mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy, creating a tension between democratic and authoritarian tendencies. The Emperor was the head of state and the Prime Minister was the actual head of government. The Meiji Constitution was based on both Prussian and British models, with the organizational structure of the Diet reflecting these influences. The inclusion of a House of Representatives and a House of Peers resembled the Prussian Herrenhaus and the British House of Lords, respectively.
The Meiji Restoration in 1868 provided Japan with a form of constitutional monarchy based on Prusso-German and British models, in which the Emperor of Japan was an active ruler and held considerable political power. The Meiji Constitution established clear limits on the power of the executive branch and the Emperor, and guaranteed some civil rights and liberties, although these were often subject to limitation by law. For example, free speech, freedom of association, and freedom of religion were limited by laws.
The Meiji Constitution was the result of a period of sweeping political and social reform and westernization aimed at strengthening Japan to the level of Western nations. The Meiji government sought to create a constitution that would define Japan as a capable, modern nation deserving of Western respect while preserving their own power. The drafting process was led by Itō Hirobumi, who researched various forms of constitutional government and drew influence from the German and British models. The central issue was balancing sovereignty vested in the Emperor with an elected representative legislature that could limit the power of the sovereign.
The Meiji Constitution provided for a bicameral parliament (the Diet) with an elected lower house and a Prime Minister and cabinet appointed by the Emperor. The Emperor was granted supreme control of the army and navy, and a privy council composed of Meiji genro advised the Emperor and held actual power. The Meiji Constitution was ambiguous in wording and self-contradictory in places, leaving the interpretation of its provisions to the leaders of the government and political parties.
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The Meiji Constitution was influenced by both Prussian and British models
The Meiji Constitution, enacted in 1890, was the first constitution of modern Japan. It was influenced by both Prussian and British models, as well as some Japanese traditions. The Meiji Restoration in 1868 provided Japan with a form of constitutional monarchy based on the Prusso-German model, in which the Emperor of Japan was an active ruler with significant political power over foreign policy and shared power with an elected Imperial Diet on domestic policy matters. The Meiji Constitution was the result of a period of sweeping political and social reform and westernization aimed at strengthening Japan to the level of Western nations.
The organizational structure of the Diet reflected both Prussian and British influences. The inclusion of the House of Representatives as the lower house and the House of Peers as the upper house resembled the Prussian Herrenhaus and the British House of Lords. The second chapter of the constitution, which detailed the rights of citizens, also bore a resemblance to similar articles in both European and North American constitutions of the time.
The Meiji Constitution established clear limits on the power of the executive branch and the Emperor. It also created an independent judiciary and guaranteed civil rights and civil liberties, although these were often subject to limitation by law. For example, free speech, freedom of association, and freedom of religion were limited by laws. The central issue during the drafting process was balancing sovereignty vested in the Emperor with an elected representative legislature that could limit the power of the sovereign.
The Meiji Constitution was drafted by a committee that included Japanese officials and foreign advisors, particularly German legal scholars such as Rudolf von Gneist and Lorenz von Stein. The United States Constitution was rejected as too liberal, and the French and Spanish models were rejected as tending towards despotism. The British Westminster system was considered but thought to grant too much power to Parliament. Thus, the Meiji Constitution was primarily influenced by the Prussian and British models, with some adaptations to suit Japanese traditions and the specific context of Japan's modernization efforts.
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The Meiji Constitution was drafted by a committee of Japanese officials and foreign advisors
The Meiji Constitution was drafted in secret by a committee of Japanese officials and foreign advisors, without public debate. The final version was submitted to Emperor Meiji in 1888 and came into effect in 1890. The Meiji Constitution was the fundamental law of the Empire of Japan, providing for a form of mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy. It was based on Prusso-German and British models, with the Emperor as the supreme leader and the cabinet, whose prime minister was elected by a privy council, as his followers.
The Meiji Restoration in 1868 restored direct political power to the emperor, and Japan underwent a period of sweeping political and social reform and westernization. The Meiji Constitution established clear limits on the power of the executive branch and the Emperor, and guaranteed some civil rights and liberties, although these were limited by law. The organizational structure of the Diet reflected both Prussian and British influences, with the inclusion of the House of Representatives as the lower house and the House of Peers as the upper house.
The draft committee included Japanese officials along with a number of foreign advisors, in particular, German legal scholars Rudolf von Gneist and Lorenz von Stein. The central issue was the balance between sovereignty vested in the Emperor and an elected representative legislature that would limit the power of the sovereign. The Freedom and People's Rights Movement demanded the immediate establishment of an elected national assembly and the promulgation of a constitution. In 1881, Itō Hirobumi was appointed to chair a government bureau to research various forms of constitutional government, and in 1882, he led an overseas mission to observe and study various systems first-hand.
The United States Constitution was rejected as too liberal, and the French and Spanish models were rejected as tending toward despotism. The Reichstag and legal structures of the German Empire, particularly Prussia, proved to be of the most interest to the Constitutional Study Mission. Influence was also drawn from the British Westminster system, although it was considered to grant too much power to Parliament.
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The Meiji Constitution established clear limits on the power of the Emperor
The Meiji Constitution, proclaimed in 1889 and enacted in 1890, established a mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy, with the Emperor as head of state and the Prime Minister as head of government. The Meiji Constitution established clear limits on the power of the Emperor, although the extent of these limitations is questionable.
The Meiji Constitution was the first written constitution in Japan, and it was based on the Prussian and British models. The organizational structure of the Diet, or the National Diet of Japan, reflected these influences, with a House of Representatives as the lower house and a House of Peers as the upper house. The Meiji Constitution established a clear limit on the power of the executive branch and the Emperor, creating an independent judiciary. Civil rights and civil liberties were also guaranteed, although they were subject to limitation by law. For example, free speech, freedom of association, and freedom of religion were limited by laws.
The Meiji Constitution was drafted without public debate and was largely the work of the genro (elder statesman) Itō Hirobumi, who had been appointed in 1881 to chair a government bureau to research various forms of constitutional government. The draft committee included Japanese officials and foreign advisors, particularly German legal scholars. The central issue was the balance between sovereignty vested in the Emperor and an elected representative legislature, which would limit the power of the sovereign.
The Meiji Constitution provided for a cabinet consisting of Ministers of State who answered to the Emperor rather than the Diet. The Emperor shared legislative authority with the Diet, and no measure could become law without their agreement. The Emperor also had the right to exercise executive authority, including the appointment and dismissal of all government officials, and the sole right to declare war, make peace, and conclude treaties. The Emperor also held direct command over the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy.
The Meiji Constitution was replaced by the "Postwar Constitution" in 1946, following the Allied occupation of Japan.
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The Meiji Constitution created an independent judiciary and guaranteed civil rights and liberties
The Meiji Constitution, enacted in 1890, was the constitution of the Empire of Japan. It was proclaimed on February 11, 1889, and remained in force until May 2, 1947. The Meiji Constitution was based on the principle that sovereignty resided in the Emperor, by virtue of his divine ancestry, rather than in the people. The Emperor was the head of state, but the Prime Minister was the actual head of government. The Meiji Constitution established clear limits on the power of the executive branch and the Emperor, and it created an independent judiciary.
The Meiji Constitution guaranteed civil rights and civil liberties, although they were often subject to limitation by law. For example, the right to a trial before a judge was guaranteed by Article 24, but the freedom of religion guaranteed by Article 28 was limited by the need to maintain "peace and order" and not be "antagonistic to [one's] duties as subjects". The right to petition the government was guaranteed by Article 30, and Article 19 guaranteed the right to "be appointed to civil or military or any other public offices equally".
The Meiji Constitution provided for a form of mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy, based on both German and British models. The organizational structure of the Diet reflected Prussian and British influences, with a House of Representatives as the lower house and a House of Peers as the upper house. The first National Diet of Japan, a new representative assembly, convened on the day the Meiji Constitution came into force. The draft committee for the Meiji Constitution included Japanese officials as well as foreign advisors, particularly German legal scholars.
The Meiji Constitution was preceded by the Charter Oath, promulgated on April 6, 1868, which outlined the fundamental policies of the government and demanded the establishment of deliberative assemblies. The Meiji government, which came to power after the Meiji Restoration of 1868, had no pre-developed plan on how to run Japan, and the country was a collection of semi-independent feudal domains. The idea of a written constitution was a subject of heated debate within the government, with the conservative Meiji oligarchy viewing democracy and republicanism with suspicion. The Freedom and People's Rights Movement demanded the immediate establishment of an elected national assembly and the promulgation of a constitution. In 1881, Itō Hirobumi was appointed to chair a government bureau to research various forms of constitutional government, and he led an overseas mission to study different systems firsthand. The United States Constitution was rejected as too liberal, and the French and Spanish models were rejected as tending towards despotism. The German and British models proved to be the most influential.
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Frequently asked questions
The Meiji Constitution of 1890 was modelled on a mix of constitutional and absolute monarchy, based on the Prussian and British models.
The Meiji Constitution was the constitution of the Empire of Japan. It was proclaimed on 11 February 1889 and came into effect on 29 November 1890. It remained in force until 2 May 1947.
The Meiji Restoration restored direct political power to the emperor for the first time in over a millennium. After this, Japan underwent a period of sweeping political and social reform and westernisation.
The Emperor was the head of state and had supreme control of the army and navy. However, the Prime Minister was the actual head of government. The Meiji Constitution established clear limits on the power of the executive branch and the Emperor.
The Prime Minister was the head of the government. The Prime Minister and their Cabinet were not necessarily chosen from the elected members of parliament.
