|
Genrō
was an unofficial designation given to a generation of elder Japanese statesmen, all born in the 1830s and 1840s, who served as informal extraconstitutional advisors to the emperor during the Meiji, Taishō, and early Shōwa eras of Japanese history. The institution of ''genrō'' originated with the traditional council of elders ('' Rōjū'') common in the Edo period; however, the term ''genrō'' appears to have been coined by a newspaper only in 1892. The term is sometimes confused with the ''Genrōin'' (Chamber of Elders), a legislative body which existed from 1875–1890; however, the ''genrō'' were not related to the establishment of that body or its dissolution. Experienced leaders of the Meiji Restoration were singled out by the Emperor as , and asked to act as Imperial advisors. With the exception of Saionji Kinmochi, all the ''genrō'' were from medium or lower ranking ''samurai'' families, four each from Satsuma and Chōshū, the two former domains that had be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Meiji Era
The was an Japanese era name, era of History of Japan, Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudalism, feudal society at risk of colonization by Western world, Western powers to the new paradigm of a modern, industrialized nation state and emergent great power, influenced by Western scientific, technological, philosophical, political, legal, and aesthetic ideas. As a result of such wholesale adoption of radically different ideas, the changes to Japan were profound, and affected its social structure, internal politics, economy, military, and foreign relations. The period corresponded to the reign of Emperor Meiji. It was preceded by the Keiō era and was succeeded by the Taishō era, upon the accession of Emperor Taishō. The rapid modernization during the Meiji era was not without its opponents, as the rapid changes to society cause ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Saionji Kinmochi
Kazoku, Prince was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan, prime minister of Japan from 1906 to 1908, and from 1911 to 1912. As the last surviving member of the ''genrō'', the group of senior statesmen who had directed policy during the Meiji era, he was one of the most influential voices in Japanese politics from the mid-1920s to the early 1930s. For much of his career, Saionji worked to diminish the influence of the Imperial Japanese Army in political issues. Born in Kyoto to a noble family, Saionji took part in the Boshin War and Meiji Restoration of 1868. From 1871 to 1880, he studied European law and political institutions in France, and founded Meiji University in 1881. In 1882, Saionji again traveled to Europe with Itō Hirobumi to study constitutional law. On his return, he joined the Privy Council (Japan), Privy Council, serving as its president from 1900 to 1903, and twice served as Ministry of Education (Japan), Minister of Education in Itō's ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Taishō Era
The was a period in the history of Japan dating from 30 July 1912 to 25 December 1926, coinciding with the reign of Emperor Taishō. The new emperor was a sickly man, which prompted the shift in political power from the old oligarchic group of elder statesmen (or ) to the Imperial Diet of Japan and the democratic parties. Thus, the era is considered the time of the liberal movement known as Taishō Democracy; it is usually distinguished from the preceding chaotic Meiji era and the following militaristic-driven first part of the Shōwa era. Etymology The two kanji characters in Taishō () were from a passage of the Classical Chinese ''I Ching'': (translated: "Great prevalence is achieved through rectitude, and this is the Dao of Heaven.") The term could be roughly understood as meaning "great rectitude", or "great righteousness". Meiji legacy On 30 July 1912, Emperor Meiji died and Crown Prince Yoshihito succeeded to the throne as Emperor of Japan. In his coron ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Katsura Tarō
Prince was a Japanese politician and general who served as prime minister of Japan from 1901 to 1906, from 1908 to 1911, and from 1912 to 1913. He was a '' genrō'', or senior statesman who helped dictate policy during the Meiji era, and is the second-longest serving Japanese prime minister after Shinzo Abe, serving for a combined total of 7 years and 330 days. Born in the Choshu Domain to a samurai family, Katsura participated in the Boshin War that led to the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He spent several years studying military science in Germany, and became a protégé of Yamagata Aritomo. He distinguished himself in the First Sino-Japanese War, then served as governor-general of Taiwan and later as minister of war from 1898 to 1901, when he was appointed prime minister. Katsura's relatively stable tenure saw Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War before he was forced to resign in 1906 amid public outrage at the government's failure to secure an indemnity from Russia. He ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Matsukata Masayoshi
Prince was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1891 to 1892, and from 1896 to 1898. Born in the Satsuma Domain to a samurai family, Matsukata served as finance minister for 15 of the 20 years between 1881 and 1901, led the creation of the Bank of Japan in 1882, and had significant influence in the financial and economic articles of the Meiji Constitution of 1889. He became a ''genrō'', or senior statesman who dictated policy in the later Meiji era, and was given the title of prince in 1922. Early life education Matsukata Masayoshi was born on 25 February 1835, in Arata, Kagoshima District, Kagoshima, Kagoshima, Satsuma Province (present-day Shimoarata, Kagoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture), the fourth son of Matsukata Masayasu and his wife Kesaku. His family was of the ''samurai'' warrior nobility class. Both his parents died when he was 13 years old. At the age of 13, he entered the ''Zoshikan'', the Satsuma domain's Confucianism, Confucian academy, wh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Kuroda Kiyotaka
Count was a Japanese politician and general who served as prime minister of Japan from 1888 to 1889. He was one of the '' genrō'', or senior statesman of the Meiji era. Born in the Satsuma Domain to a samurai family, Kuroda was involved in the colonization of Hokkaido, the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1876, and the suppression of the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877. After his tenure as prime minister, which ended due to his inability to revise the unequal treaties imposed on Japan, Kuroda also served as Minister of Communications and President of the Privy Council. Biography As a Satsuma samurai Kuroda was born to a samurai-class family serving the Shimazu ''daimyō'' of Kagoshima, Satsuma Domain, in Kyūshū. In 1862, Kuroda was involved in the Namamugi incident, in which Satsuma retainers killed a British national who refused to bow down to the ''daimyo's'' procession. This led to the Anglo-Satsuma War in 1863, in which Kuroda played an active role. Immediately after the war, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Boshin War
The , sometimes known as the Japanese Revolution or Japanese Civil War, was a civil war in Japan fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and a coalition seeking to seize political power in the name of the Imperial Court in Kyoto, Imperial Court. The war stemmed from dissatisfaction among many Kazoku, nobles and young samurai with the shogunate's handling of foreigners following the opening of Japan during the prior decade. Increasing Unequal treaties, Western influence in the economy led to a decline similar to that of other Asian countries at the time. An alliance of western samurai, particularly the domains of Chōshū Domain, Chōshū, Satsuma Domain, Satsuma, and Tosa Domain, Tosa, and court officials secured control of the Imperial Court and influenced the young Emperor Meiji. Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the sitting ''shōgun'', realizing the futility of his situation, abdicated and handed over political power to the emperor. Yoshinobu had hoped t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Itō Hirobumi
Kazoku, Prince , born , was a Japanese statesman who served as the first prime minister of Japan from 1885 to 1888, and later from 1892 to 1896, in 1898, and from 1900 to 1901. He was a leading member of the ''genrō'', a group of senior statesmen that dictated policy during the Meiji era. Born into a poor farming family in the Chōshū Domain, Itō and his father were adopted into a low-ranking samurai family. After the opening of Japan in 1854, he joined the nationalist ''sonnō jōi'' movement before being sent to England to study at University College London in 1863. Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Itō was appointed the junior councilor for foreign affairs in the newly formed Empire of Japan. In 1870, he traveled to the United States to study Western currency, and subsequently helped establish Japan's taxation system in 1871. Itō then set off on another overseas trip with the Iwakura Mission to the U.S. and Europe. Upon his return to Japan in 1873, he became a f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Inoue Kaoru
Marquess Inoue Kaoru (井上 馨, January 16, 1836 – September 1, 1915) was a Japanese politician and a prominent member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period of the Empire of Japan. As one of the senior statesmen ('' Genrō'') in Japan during that period, he had a tremendous influence on the selection of the nation's leaders and formation of its policies. Early life and education Born Yakichi (勇吉) to a lower-ranked ''samurai'' family in Yuda, Chōshū domain (present day Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi Prefecture), Inoue attended the '' Meirinkan'' domain school with his brother Ikutarō (幾太郎). He was a close boyhood friend of Itō Hirobumi who later became Japan's first prime minister, and he played an active part in the '' sonnō jōi'' movement. In 1858, he studied '' rangaku'', artillery and swordsmanship in Edo. In the Bakumatsu period, Inoue emerged as a leader of the anti-foreigner movement in his native Chōshū. Desiring to rid Japan of foreigners, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Sangi (Japan)
was an associate counselor in the Imperial court of Japan from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Sangi" in . This was a position in the ''daijō-kan'', or early feudal Japanese government. It was established in 702 by the Code of Taihō. In the ranks of the Imperial bureaucracy, the ''Sangi'' came between the '' Shōnagon'' (minor councillors) and those with more narrowly defined roles, such as the ''Sadaiben'' and ''Udaiben'' who were the administrators charged with oversight of the eight ministries of the government.Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). In an early review of the Imperial hierarchy, Julius Klaproth's 1834 supplement to ''Nihon Odai Ichiran'' conflated the hierarchical position with a functional role as the director of palace affairs. Prominent among those holding this office were three brothers: * Fujiwara no Fusasaki held the office of ''Sangi'' until he died in 737 ''( Tenpyō 9, 4th month'')Titsingh, * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Prime Minister Of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Japan and has the ability to select and dismiss its ministers of state. The prime minister also serves as the commander-in-chief of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, Japan Self Defence Forces. The National Diet (parliament) nominates the prime minister from among its members (typically from among the members of the House of Representatives (Japan), House of Representatives). He is then formally appointed by the Emperor of Japan, emperor. The prime minister must retain the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office. The prime minister lives and works at the Naikaku Sōri Daijin Kantei (Prime Minister's Official Residence) in Nagatachō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda, Tokyo, close to the National Diet Building. List of prime ministers of Japan, Sixty-five men have served as prime minister, the first of whom was Itō Hirobumi taking office on 22 December 1885. The List of prime minist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
