Abolition of feudal domains and establishment of prefectures

In July 1871 (Meiji 4), a political change was made in which all feudal domains were abolished and prefectures were established, establishing a centralized unified state. After the return of the domains and peoples to the Emperor, the government actively promoted a policy of centralization, and especially from autumn 1870 to spring 1871, the government implemented a systematic centralization plan as outlined in Iwakura Tomomi's "National Founding Policy," as well as a centralized and unified administration as seen in various laws and regulations such as the "Family System," "Conscription Regulations," "New Laws and Principles," and "Family Registration Law." Furthermore, as a result of visits to Kagoshima and Yamaguchi by Iwakura's imperial envoy, Okubo Toshimichi, and Kido Takayoshi, the cooperation of the two domains and Tosa domain with the central government was confirmed, and the assembly of about 10,000 soldiers from the three domains in Tokyo was realized. Meanwhile, the disintegration of the feudal domain system became more serious, with some domains unable to be maintained applying for and being granted abolition individually, and others maintaining the form of the domain but being placed in a state essentially similar to that of abolition, and the tendency towards the collapse of the feudal domain system became evident. Amidst this, peasant uprisings in Shinshu and Bungo Hita regions, as well as anti-government plots by grassroots groups, lower-ranking samurai, and disgruntled nobles, progressed, leading to the assassination of Councillor Hirosawa Saneomi in January 1871. The government responded by using force to oppress these groups. In June 1871, the alliance of the three domains of Kagoshima, Yamaguchi, and Kochi drove a reshuffle of the government leadership, with Saigo Takamori and Kido Takayoshi becoming councillors and tasked with reforming the political system. Apart from this movement for political reform, an agreement to abolish the feudal domains and establish prefectures was reached in early July among Saigo, Kido and other members of the Kagoshima and Yamaguchi domains in the Korean peninsula. Preparations were made in secret, and Sanjo Sanetomi and Iwakura Tomomi also agreed. On July 14, the governors of the domains in Kyoto were summoned to issue an imperial edict to abolish the feudal domains and establish prefectures, and the governors of the domains in the provinces were also ordered to abolish the feudal domains. On the same day, Itagaki Taisuke and Okuma Shigenobu were appointed councilors, and the four domains of Kagoshima, Yamaguchi, Kochi and Saga were strengthened in their cooperation. As a result of the abolition of the feudal domains, the nation was reduced to 3 prefectures, 302 prefectures and 1 envoy. The governors who were dismissed from their posts due to the abolition of the domains were guaranteed their stipends and aristocratic status and moved to Tokyo, and the government paid off their domain bonds.

Meanwhile, in July and August 1871, a major reform of the Dajokan system was carried out. As a result, the Jingikan was abolished, and the Dajokan became a three-house system consisting of Seiin, Sain, and Uin. The Seiin had three offices: the Dajodaijin, the Left and Right Ministers (Nagon), and the Sangi, and made the highest will of the nation under the personal attendance of the Emperor. The Sain deliberated bills with the Speaker and Diet members (Gikan), and the Uin was composed of the heads and vice ministers of each ministry, and drafted and deliberated bills related to the ministries. In addition, eight ministries were established under the Dajokan: Foreign Affairs, Treasury, War, Engineering, Justice, Education, Imperial Household, and Jingi. Furthermore, the previous equivalent of official ranks was abolished, and the number of official ranks was reduced to 15, with those of the third class or higher being Imperially appointed officials, those of the seventh class or higher being Soninkan, those of the eighth class or lower being Jinninkan, and military officers of the fourth class or higher being Imperially appointed officials. These reforms established the Meiji Dajokan system. This system had the main characteristics of the idea of ​​direct rule by the Emperor through the appointment of the Dajokan in person, the monopoly of the Emperor's advisors by the Dajokan Seiin, the lack of separation of the three powers of legislation, administration, and judiciary, and their unified control by the Dajokan Seiin, and the lack of separation between the Imperial Court and the Fuchu, and these characteristics have remained essentially unchanged ever since. In addition, in the local government system, the "Prefectural Government System" of October of the same year placed governors and below in prefectures and prefectures, but the following November saw a large-scale unification of the nation's prefectures, resulting in 3 prefectures, 72 prefectures, and 1 envoy, and the "Prefectural Governance Ordinance" of the same month placed governors and below in prefectures, and the prefectural offices were established with four departments for general affairs, litigation, taxation, and disbursement, with duties divided among them. This created the foundation for prefecture governance that followed.

[Kiyoshi Haraguchi]

"The Formation of the Modern Japanese Nation" by Kiyoshi Haraguchi (1968, Iwanami Shoten)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1871年（明治4）7月、全国の藩を廃して県を置き、中央集権的統一国家を樹立した政治変革。版籍奉還(はんせきほうかん)後、政府は中央集権化政策を積極的に推進したが、とくに1870年秋から1871年春にかけては、岩倉具視(ともみ)の「建国策」に示される体系的な中央集権化構想、「藩制」「徴兵規則」「新律綱領」「戸籍法」などの諸法令にみられる集権的、統一的施政が展開された。さらに岩倉勅使や大久保利通(としみち)、木戸孝允(たかよし)らの鹿児島・山口訪問の結果、両藩および土佐藩の中央政府への協力態勢が確定し、3藩の献兵約1万の東京集結も実現することになった。一方、藩体制の解体の度合いも深刻化し、藩の維持ができず、個別的に廃藩を願い出て許可されるもの、藩の形式は維持しても実質的には廃藩同様の状態に置かれるものなどが広範に現れ、藩体制崩壊の傾向は顕著となった。これらのなかで、信州や豊後日田(ぶんごひた)地方における百姓一揆(いっき)、草莽(そうもう)・下級士族・不平公卿(くぎょう)などによる反政府陰謀が進行し、1871年正月には参議広沢真臣(ひろさわさねおみ)暗殺事件が発生した。政府は、これらに対しては武力による強圧政策を断行した。1871年6月、鹿児島・山口・高知三藩連合が推進力となり政府首脳人事の改変が行われ、西郷隆盛(さいごうたかもり)、木戸孝允2人が参議となって政体改革にあたることになった。この政体改革の動きとは別に、7月初旬に廃藩置県断行の合意が西郷、木戸ら在朝鹿児島・山口両藩出身者の間に成立し、隠密のうちに準備が進められ、三条実美(さねとみ)、岩倉具視もこれに同意した。7月14日在京知藩事を召集して廃藩置県の詔(みことのり)を発し、在国知藩事にも廃藩を指令した。同日板垣退助(いたがきたいすけ)、大隈重信(おおくましげのぶ)を参議に加え、鹿児島・山口・高知・佐賀4藩の協力態勢を固めた。廃藩の結果、全国は3府302県1使となった。廃藩によって免職された知藩事は、家禄(かろく)と華族身分を保証されて東京に移住し、藩債は政府に肩代りされた。

　一方、1871年7、8月には太政官(だじょうかん)体制の大改革が行われた。これにより、神祇官(じんぎかん)は廃止され、太政官は正院(せいいん)、左院、右院の三院制となった。正院には太政大臣、左右大臣（納言）、参議の三職が置かれ、天皇親臨のもとに国家の最高意志を決定した。左院は議長、議員（議官）により諸法案を審議し、右院は各省の長、次官から構成されて省務関係法案の起草と議事を行った。また、太政官のもとに外務、大蔵、兵部、工部、司法、文部、宮内、神祇の8省が置かれた。さらに、従前の官位相当を廃し、官等を15とし、三等以上を勅任官、七等以上を奏任官、八等以下を判任官とし、武官は四等以上を勅任官とした。これらの改革によって、明治太政官体制は確立した。この体制は、天皇の太政官親臨という形による天皇親政の理念、太政官正院による天皇輔弼(ほひつ)の独占、立法・行政・司法の三権未分離とその太政官正院への一元的統轄、宮中・府中の未分離などにその主要な特徴があり、これらの特徴はその後も基本的な変化はない。また地方制度では、同年10月の「府県官制」では府および県に知事以下を置いたが、翌11月には全国諸県の大統合が行われて3府72県1使となり、さらに同月の「県治条例」によって県には県令以下が置かれ、県庁には庶務、聴訟(ちょうしょう)、租税、出納(すいとう)の4課が設けられて事務を分掌することになった。これによって、その後の県治の基礎がつくられたのである。

［原口　清］

『原口清著『日本近代国家の形成』（1968・岩波書店）』

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