著者

川越 美穂

出版者

公益財団法人 史学会

雑誌

史学雑誌 (ISSN:00182478)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.116, no.2, pp.153-189, 2007

---

This article analyzes how Emperor Meiji participated in the process of political decision-making during the early years of his reign by looking mainly at his role in document between from after Sanjo Sanetomi 三条実美 was inaugurated as chief minister of state (Daijodaijin 太政大臣) in 1871 until 1873. Under the government reforms of 1871, there was a design to assume the Emperor the person of last approval among the planner of political system reform. But the approval act of the Emperor was not codify then, it was carry out not an arbitrator as a recognizer when a political system was reformed again in May, 1873. In this time, the approval of the Emperor was named "Gyohi (御批)". In this way, it was realized once in the early Meiji era that the Emperor participated in politics decision. And by having found "Gyohiroku (御批録)" which was an approval record of the Emperor, I confirmed that it was the seal of a character "裁" that was used as approval mark. This is important as the example that the Emperor participated in politics decision for the first time. But the government was not going to let the Emperor participate in all politics decision. The documents submitted to the Emperor in "Gyohiroku" were limited to legislation such as a rule and a system decided newly. And it is recognized that the Emperor gave permission of execution formally. Therefore, I suppose that the government had intention to let the Emperor hold a legislative power and the judicial power. But the government gave up the approval of the Emperor about the legislation area in a short time. It was the reason that cabinet decision was unstable because adjustment between administrations was not enough. Therefore, to realize an idea in principle that the Emperor makes politics, it was necessary that the system to coordinate an opinion of each administration and the legislative proceeding were established.