Senate - Genroin

A legislative deliberative body in the early Meiji period. It was established on April 14, 1875 (Meiji 8) along with the Daishin'in (Great Court). It took over the duties of the Sain (Left Court) and had the basic authority to decide on the enactment of new laws and the amendment of old laws, but bills were issued by the Cabinet, and in urgent cases, bills were sent for review (requesting post-facto approval) after a convenient proclamation, so its legislative power was extremely weak. Of the 287 bills submitted by 1881, 193 were reviewed. From 1876 to 1880, it was involved in drafting the constitution, and created three "Ansatsu (Ansatsu) of the Constitution of Japan," but they were rejected by the government leaders and scrapped. Early secretaries included Ooi Kentaro, Nakae Chomin, Numa Morikazu, Shimada Saburo, and other up-and-coming intellectuals who would later become leaders of the Freedom and People's Rights Movement. Furthermore, the class of councilors led by Sasaki Takayuki often clashed with government officials in an attempt to gain more power.

It was abolished on October 20, 1890, when the Imperial Diet was established. It dealt with a total of 759 bills, and the status of deliberations can be found in the "Genroin Conference Notes." The Genroin was also responsible for accepting petitions.

[Sumio Ohirakata]

"The Senate Journal, edited by Sumio Ohirakata and Masao Kabe, 4 volumes (1981-82, Sanichi Shobo)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治前期の立法審議機関。1875年（明治8）4月14日、大阪会議での合意に基づき大審院(だいしんいん)とともに設置された。左院(さいん)の職掌を引き継ぎ、新法の制定と旧法の改正を議定することを基本的権能としたが、議案は内閣から下付され、急を要する場合は便宜布告後、検視に付する（事後承認を求める）など、立法権はきわめて弱かった。81年までの議案287件のうち、検視は193件に上る。76年から80年にかけて憲法起草に従事し、3次にわたって「日本国憲按(あん)」を作成したが、政府首脳部の拒否により廃案となった。初期の書記官には大井憲太郎、中江兆民(ちょうみん)、沼間守一(ぬまもりかず)、島田三郎ら、のちに自由民権運動の指導者となる新進知識人たちがいた。また、佐々木高行を中心とする議官層は、権限の強化を求めて政府当局者としばしば対立した。

　1890年10月20日、帝国議会が開設されるため廃止。扱った議案は合計759件で、審議状況は「元老院会議筆記」によって知ることができる。なお、建白書の受理も元老院の管轄であった。

［大日方純夫］

『大日方純夫・我部政男編『元老院日誌』全4巻（1981～82・三一書房）』

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