Osaka Conference

The conference was held in Osaka in January and February 1875 (Meiji 8), with Okubo Toshimichi, Kido Takayoshi, Itagaki Taisuke, and Ito Hirobumi as participants. The government led by Okubo was isolated due to the political upheaval of October 1873, the petition for the establishment of a popularly elected parliament in 1874, the Saga Rebellion, and the Taiwan Expedition, but in order to overcome this predicament, Okubo wanted Kido, who had previously resigned, to return to the government, and Ito and Inoue Kaoru mediated between them, and managed to get Itagaki to participate in the conference. The conference reached an agreement on a political reform plan that included the creation of a senate and a Daishinin, holding a local official conference, and separating the roles of councilor and ministerial minister, which had been held concurrently up until then, and Kido and Itagaki returned to their council positions. In April, an imperial edict was issued to gradually establish a constitutional government, and all the points agreed upon at the Osaka Conference were realized, except for the issue of separating the Ministerial Councillors. However, conflicts arose during the implementation of the reforms, and Itagaki in particular resigned from his post in October due to conflicts with other ministers and Councillors. As a result of the Osaka Conference, the government became more stable, and it became possible to fully embark on land tax reform projects and other projects.

[Kiyoshi Haraguchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1875年（明治8）1月から2月にかけて、大久保利通(としみち)、木戸孝允(たかよし)を中心に板垣退助(たいすけ)、伊藤博文(ひろぶみ)が加わり大阪で行われた会議。73年10月の政変、74年の民撰(みんせん)議院設立建白、佐賀の乱、台湾出兵などによって大久保を中心とした政府は孤立したが、大久保はこの窮状を打開するために、先に下野した木戸の政府復帰を望み、伊藤や井上馨(かおる)がこの間を斡旋(あっせん)して板垣をも参加させる形でこの会談にこぎつけた。会議は、元老院・大審院の創設、地方官会議の開催、これまで兼任制であった参議と省の卿(きょう)とを分離させるなどの政体改革構想で合意に達し、木戸、板垣は参議に復帰した。4月、立憲政体漸次樹立の詔書が出され、参議省卿の分離問題を除く大阪会議の合意事項が実現されていった。しかし改革の実施過程で対立が起こり、とくに板垣は他の大臣、参議と対立して10月に辞職した。大阪会議の結果、政府は安定度を増し、地租改正事業その他に本格的に着手することが可能となった。

［原口　清］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例