Rikkenseitai no Shosho (An imperial edict for the establishment of the constitutional system of gove (立憲政体の詔書)
Rikkenseitai no Shosho was issued by the Emperor Meiji on April 14, 1875. The Shosho (the imperial edict, decree) declared that the aim of the Charter Oath of Five Articles would be expanded to permit setting up of Genroin (Senate) (Japan), Daishin-in (Predecessor of the Supreme Court of Japan), and Chihokan Kaigi (assembly of prefectural governors), in order to establish the constitutional system of government gradually. It is also known as Genroin Daishin-in Chihokan Kaigi wo secchi shi Zenji Rikkenseitai Juritsu no Shochoku (An imperial edict for the gradual establishment of the constitutional system of government with setting up of Genroin, Daishin-in, and Chihokan Kaigi), Zenji Rikkenseitai Juritsu no Shochoku (An imperial edict for the gradual establishment of the constitutional system of government), or Genrou Daisin Niin wo oku no Mikotonori (An imperial edict for the setting up of two Houses, Genrouin and Daishin-in).
History
In the Osaka conference held from January to February in 1875, Toshimichi OKUBO and Hirobumi ITO who were working for the Meiji Government reached an agreement with Takayoshi KIDO, Taisuke ITAGAKI, and Kaoru INOUE who were out of power, and it promised the return to the govenment for Kido and Itagak and the reform in political system.
In March of the same year, after Kido and Itagaki returned to the positions of Sangi (councillors), they drew up a political reform plan together with Okubo and Ito based on the agreement in the Osaka conference, and then submitted the plan to Sanetomi SANJO, the Daijo-daijin (the Grand Minister). Then, on April 14, a Monjo (written material), which was prepared based on the political reform plan, was announced as a Shosho by the Emperor Meiji. That is the Rikkenseitai no Shosho.
Although the Shosho was untitled, it was referred to as 'Rikkenseitai no Shosho' in the table of contents in Horei Zensho (Compendium of laws and regulations).
Contents
The following is quoted from the Shosho (The original text was written in the old [traditional] form of [Chinese] characters] and Katakana [fragmentary kana] without voiced sound marks or punctuation marks).