The 1889 Japanese Constitution was Designed to Pacify the Opposition Without Deposing the Ruling Oligarchy
A. To a little extent, the granting of the constitution was to
conciliate opposing parties existing in Japan which agitated for
representative government. This was because:
(1) Ever since the split of the central government in 1873 (Korean
Affair) Itagaki and his followers led a political agitation in favour
of democratic institution to weaken the Satsuma-Choshu oligarchy. To
conciliate the demands of the opposition:
(a) Government established a Senate (Genro-in ) and a separate court
of justice (Daishin-in) and a Council of Governors to meet the charge
against the high centralization of power (The Osaka Compromise, 1875).
(b) In 1878, another concession: establishment of provincial
assemblies the first elected political body anywhere in the
non-western world.
(2) By 1880s, the opposition grew to become something much wider than
more protest by Samurai of Tosa and Hizen. Resembled rather the Sonno
Movement - the Jiyu Minken Undo - a growing popular demand for
parliament.
(3) Okuma was dismissed as a result of the political crisis of 1881.
To conciliate the opposition, the Hokkaido Sales was cancelled and an
imperial decree promised the establishment of a national parliament in
1890. The creating of a parliament is often regarded as a victory of
Okuma.
(4) But to a greater extent, it was not designed to pacify opposition
because:
(1) Constitution given out not so much of desire to conciliate the
opposing party as out of
n Concept that constitution was the basis of a nation’s strength and
prosperity....
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...on with interpretation and revision of the constitution.
Appointment to it were in practice confined to members of the imperial
family, peers and cabinet ministers. It became its president.
(5) The constitution was thus based on the feudal idea that the real
power was exercised for the Emperor by his agents, the ruling
oligarchy. On the surface, the constitution concentrated a great deal
of power and authority in the hands of the Emperor. In practice it was
his advisor who benefited from them. The Emperor did not actually take
part in the administration. The oligarchs, through their position in
the cabinet, the supreme commander, the privy council and the imperial
household ministry, constituted the actual recipients of executive
power. Therefore, true to say constitution did not depose power of the
ruling oligarchy.