Emperor Meiji of Japan

Information about Emperor Meiji of Japan

Emperor Meiji
Emperor of Japan
Reign3 February, 1867 – 30 July, 1912
Coronation3 February, 1867
Born3 November, 1852
Died30 July, 1912
Buried
PredecessorEmperor Kōmei
SuccessorEmperor Taishō
ConsortEmpress Shōken
IssueCrown Prince Yoshihito
Princess Masako
Princess Fusako
Princess Nobuko
Princess Toshiko
Royal HouseImperial House of Japan
FatherEmperor Kōmei
MotherNakayama Yoshiko


Emperor Meiji (明治天皇 Meiji-tennō) (November 3, 1852 — July 30, 1912) was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from February 3, 1867 until his death.

His personal name was Mutsuhito (睦仁). Like all his predecessors, he has been known by a posthumous name since his death. Upon his death a new tradition of giving the late emperor the name of the era coinciding with his reign was established. Having ruled during the Meiji era (Enlightened rule), he is now known as Emperor Meiji. Although he is sometimes referred to as Mutsuhito or Emperor Mutsuhito outside of Japan, Japanese emperors are only referred to by their posthumous names in Japan. Use of an emperor's personal name would be considered too familiar, or even derogatory.

At the time of his birth in 1852, Japan was an isolated, pre-industrial, feudal country dominated by the Tokugawa Shogunate and the daimyo, who ruled over the country's more than 250 decentralized domains. By the time of his death in 1912, Japan had undergone a political, social, and industrial revolution at home (See Meiji Restoration) and emerged as one of the great powers on the world stage.

Events of Emperor Meiji's Life

Emperor Meiji was the surviving son of Emperor Kōmei by the lady-in-waiting Nakayama Yoshiko (1834–1907), the daughter of Lord Nakayama Tadayasu, sometime minister of the left (sadaijin) and a scion of the Fujiwara. He was born eight months before the arrival of Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry and the United States squadron of "Black Ships" in Edo Bay and two years before the first of the unequal treaties which the Tokugawa shogunate signed with Perry. Originally titled Sachi no miya (Prince Sachi), the future emperor spent most of his childhood at the Nakayama household in Kyoto, as it was customary to entrust the upbringing of imperial children to prominent court members.

He was formally adopted by Asako Nyōgō (later Empress Dowager Eishō), the principal consort of Emperor Kōmei, on 11 July 1860. He also received the personal name Mutsuhito, the rank of shinnō (imperial prince, and thus a potential successor to the throne) and the title of Kōtaishi (Crown Prince) on the same day. Crown Prince Mutsuhito acceded to the throne on 3 February, 1867 at the age of fourteen. Later that year, the era was changed to Meiji, or “enlightened rule”, which was later used for his posthumous name. This marked the beginning of the tradition of proclaiming one era for the entire reign of an emperor, and posthumously naming him after the era over which he ruled.

On 2 September 1867, Emperor Meiji married Masako (later renamed Haruko) (28 May 1849–19 April 1914), the third daughter of Lord Ichijō Tadaka, sometime minister of the left (sadaijin). Known posthumously as Empress Shōken, she was the first imperial consort to receive the title of kōgō (literally, the emperor's wife, translated as empress consort), in several hundred years. Although she was the first Japanese empress consort to play a public role, she bore no children. However, Emperor Meiji had fifteen children by five official ladies-in-waiting. Only five of his children, a prince born to Lady Naruko (1855–1943), the daughter of Yanagiwara Mitsunaru, and four princesses born to Lady Sachiko (1867–1947), the eldest daughter of Count Sono Motosachi, lived to adulthood. They were:

Meiji Restoration

Enlarge picture
The 16-year old Meiji Emperor, moving from Kyoto to Tokyo, end of 1868.
Enlarge picture
Emperor Meiji receiving the Order of the Garter from Prince Arthur of Connaught in 1906, as a consequence of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance.
Main article: Meiji Restoration
Emperor Meiji was the symbolic leader of the Meiji Restoration, in which the Tokugawa shogunate was abolished by Imperial forces following the Boshin War. The Charter Oath, a five-point statement of the nature of the new government, abolished feudalism and proclaimed a modern democratic government for Japan. Although a parliament was formed, it had no real power, and neither did Emperor Meiji. Power had passed from the Tokugawa into the hands of those Daimyo and other samurai who had led the Restoration. Japan was thus controlled by the Genro, an oligarchy, which comprised the most powerful men of the military, political, and economic spheres. Emperor Meiji, if nothing else, showed greater political longevity than his recent predecessors, as he was the first Japanese monarch to remain on the throne past the age of 50 since the abdication of Emperor Ōgimachi in 1586.

The Meiji Restoration is a source of pride for the Japanese, as it and the accompanying industrialization allowed Japan to become the preeminent power in the Pacific and a major player in the world within a generation. Yet, Emperor Meiji's role in the Restoration is debatable. He certainly did not control Japan, but how much influence he wielded is unknown. It is unlikely it will ever be clear whether he supported the Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) or the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905). One of the few windows we have into the Emperor's own feelings is his poetry, which seems to indicate a pacifist streak, or at least a man who wished war could be avoided.

Near the end of his life several anarchists, including Kotoku Shusui, were executed on charges of having conspired to murder the sovereign. This conspiracy was known as the High Treason Incident.

Timeline of Events during the Life and Reign of Emperor Meiji

The life and reign of Meiji ushered in many far-reaching changes to the ancient feudal society of Japan. Presented here is a timeline of those major events:

3 November 1852: Meiji (then known as Sachinomiya) is born to the imperial concubine Nakayama Yoshiko and Emperor Komei

1853: A fleet of ships headed by Commodore Matthew Perry arrives in Japan on 8 July; considered the "Opening" of Japan. Death of the Shogun.

1854–55: Treaties are signed with America by the Bakufu

late 1850s–1860s: The "sonno-joi" movement is in full force.

1858: Treaties are signed with Holland, Imperial Russia, and Great Britain by the Bakufu.

March 1860: The Tairo, Ii Naosuke, is assassinated.

11 November: Sachinomiya is formally proclaimed Crown Prince and given the personal name Mutsuhito.

1862: Namamugi Incident

1864–65: Bombardment of Shimonoseki by British, American, French, and Dutch ships; fighting ensues between the shogunate and Choshu.

1866: Death of the Shogun, Tokugawa Iemochi on 29 August; appointment of Tokugawa Yoshinobu as Shogun.

31 January 1867: Death of Emperor Komei from hemorrhagic smallpox, unofficial accession of Mutsuhito to the throne.

4 January 1868: Formal restoration of imperial rule; end of 265 years of rule by the Tokugawa Shogunate

12 September: Formal coronation of Emperor Meiji.

23 October: The nengo is changed to the first year of Meiji.

6 November: The capital is moved from Kyoto to Edo, renamed Tokyo.

late 1860s–1881: Period of rebellion and assassination in Japan.

11 January 1869: Marriage of Meiji to Ichijo Haruko, henceforth the Empress Shoken.

4 September: Meiji receives the Duke of Edinburgh.

1871: The abolition of the han domains is proclaimed.

1873: Edo castle is destroyed in a conflagration; the emperor moves to the Akasaka Palace. Meiji's first children, who die at birth, are born.

1877: The Satsuma Rebellion

1878: Assassination of Okubo Toshimichi.

31 August 1879: Prince Yoshihito, the future Taisho emperor and Meiji's only surviving son, is born.

Personal information

  • Father
  • Emperor Kōmei
  • Mother
  • Nakayama Yoshiko, a concubine of Emperor Komei
  • Wife
  • Ichijo Masako, the Empress Shōken, also known as "Haruko"
  • Concubines
  • Lady Mitsuko (1853-1873), not much is known about Lady Mitsuko, however she gave birth to the Emperor's first son. She died in childbirth.
  • Lady Natsuko (1856–1873), not much is known about Lady Natsuko, however she gave birth to the Emperor's first daughter and also died in childbirth.
  • Yanagiwara Naruko (1855–1943)
  • Chigusa Kotoko (1855–1944)
  • Sono Sachiko (1867–1947)
  • Children
  • A prince, born on 18 September 1873, but died on the same day, whose mother was Lady Mitsuko
  • A princess, born on 13 November 1873, but died on the same day, whose mother was Lady Natsuko
  • Shigeko, (25 January 1875–8 June 1876) the Princess Ume, whose mother was Lady Naruko
  • Yukihito, (23 September 1877–26 July 1878) the Prince Take, whose mother was Lady Naruko
  • Yoshihito, the Emperor Taishō
  • Akiko, (3 August 1881–6 September 1883) the Princess Shige, whose mother was Lady Kotoko
  • Fumiko, (26 January 1883–8 September 1883) the Princess Masu, whose mother was Lady Kotoko
  • Shizuko, (10 February 1886–4 April 1887) the Princess Hisa, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
  • Michihito, (1887–1888) the Prince Aki, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
  • Masako, (30 September 1888–8 March 1940) the Princess Tsune, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
  • Fusako, (28 January 1890–11 August 1974) the Princess Kane, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
  • Nobuko, (7 August 1891–3 November 1933) the Princess Fumi, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
  • Teruhito, (1893–1894) the Prince Mitsu, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
  • Toshiko, (11 May 1896–5 March 1978) the Princess Yasu, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
  • Takiko, (1897–1899) the Princess Sada whose mother was Lady Sachiko

Trivia

Further reading

  • Emperor of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852–1912 by Donald Keene, Columbia University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-231-12340-X

External links

Emperor Meiji
Born: November 3 1852 Died: July 30 1912
Preceded by
Emperor Kōmei		Emperor of Japan
February 3, 1867 – July 30, 1912		Succeeded by
Emperor Taishō
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Nakayama Yoshiko (January 1836–October 5, 1907, Japanese 中山慶子) was a Japanese lady-in-waiting.
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Japan

This article is part of the series:
Politics of Japan

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