Public Assembly - Kougisho

A legislative body in the early Meiji period. On April 21, 1868 (Keio 4), the Meiji government set out a policy of separation of powers based on the Constitution of Japan, and established the Council of State's Superior and Superior Bureaus as a legislative body. However, the power of the administrative officials was too strong, and the Council of State's superior and subordinate Bureaus were established as legislative bodies. As a result, the government established the Council of State's Constitution Investigation Office to investigate the situation, and at the end of the same year, it decided to establish a new Council of State to replace the Council of State's Sub-Bureau, the Council of State's Sub-Bureau, which was the Koshi Countermeasures Office. The Council of State had considerable legislative power, and its members were councilors representing each domain, with a term of office of four years, half of whom were up for election every two years, and meetings were held on the 2nd and 7th of each month. It opened in March 1869. Many bills were drafted, but there were opinions within the government that the Council of State was unnecessary, and with the reform of the Dajokan system on July 8 of the same year, the Council of State was abolished and replaced by the Shugiin.

[Inoue Isao]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治初年の立法機関。1868年（慶応4）閏(うるう)4月21日、維新政府は政体書に基づいて三権分立の方針を示し、立法機関として議政官上下局を設置した。しかし行政官の権限が強くて、議政官は有効に機能しなかった。そのため、政府は議事体裁取調所を設けて調査にあたらせ、同年末、議政官下局―貢士(こうし)対策所にかわって公議所の新設を決定した。公議所は相当の立法権をもち、議員は各藩の代表者たる公議人、在任期間は4年、2年ごとの半数改選、会議日は毎月2の日、7の日であった。69年3月に開院。多くの法案を作成したが、政府内部に公議所を無用とする意見があり、同年7月8日の太政官(だじょうかん)制改革に伴い廃止され、集議院に変わった。

［井上　勲］

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