The three-tiered system of prefectures and feudal domains

The local governance system in the early Meiji period. In the leap April 1868 (Meiji 1) Constitution, local governance was established as a triple system of prefectures, domains, and prefectures, with the former shogunate's direct territories divided into prefectures and prefectures, with governors and judges appointed, and the domains continued to be governed by feudal lords as before. The government sought to rectify the lack of uniformity among prefectures, domains, and prefectures, and promoted standardization for the domains through the "Dominion Administration System" of October 1868, the "Order for Reform of Various Affairs" of June 1869, the domain regulations in the "Personnel Order" of July of the same year, and the "Dominion System" of September 1870. The government also worked to improve prefectures through the "Order of Prefectural Administration" of February 1869, the "Prefectural Employment Regulations" and prefectural regulations in the "Personnel Order" of July of the same year, promoting the unification of the triple system of prefectures, domains, and prefectures. In July 1871, the feudal domains were abolished and prefectures were established, resulting in a two-prefecture system with three prefectures and 302 prefectures, and in November of the same year this was reduced to three prefectures and 72 prefectures.

[Kiyoshi Haraguchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治初年の地方統治制度。1868年（明治1）閏(うるう)4月の政体書により、地方統治は府藩県の三治制とし、旧幕府直轄地を府と県に分けて知事、判事を置き、藩は従来どおり諸侯に統治させた。政府は府藩県の不統一の是正を図り、藩に対しては68年10月の「藩治職制」、69年6月の「諸務変革令」、同年7月の「職員令(しきいんりょう)」の藩の規定、70年9月の「藩制」などでその画一化を進めた。また府県には、69年2月の「府県施政順序」、同年7月の「府県奉職規制」や「職員令」の府県の規定などにより整備に努め、府藩県三治一致を促進した。71年7月の廃藩置県によって府県二治制となり、三府302県、同年11月には三府72県となる。

［原口　清］

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