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The (3 November 1852 — 30 July 1912) or Meiji the Great was the 122nd emperor
Emperor of Japan

The of Japan is the symbol of the state and of the unity of the Japanese people. He is the head of the Imperial House of Japan. Under Japan's present constitution, the Emperor is the "symbol of the state and the unity of the people," and is a ceremonial figurehead in a constitutional monarchy ....
 of Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death.

Like all his predecessors, since his death he has been referred to by a posthumous name
Posthumous name

A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in some cultures after the person's death. The posthumous name is commonly used when naming royalty of Table of Chinese monarchs, List of Korean monarchs, Vietnam and emperors of Japan....
. Upon his death a new tradition of giving the late emperor the name of the era
Japanese era name

The Japanese era calendar scheme is a common calendar scheme used in Japan, which identifies a year by the combination of the and the year number within the era....
 coinciding with his reign was established. Having ruled during the Meiji era
Meiji period

The , or Meiji era, denotes the 45-year reign of the Meiji Emperor, running, in the Gregorian calendar, from 23 October 1868 to 30 July 1912. During this time, Japan started its modernization and rose to world power status....
 (Enlightened rule), he is now known as Emperor Meiji.






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The (3 November 1852 — 30 July 1912) or Meiji the Great was the 122nd emperor
Emperor of Japan

The of Japan is the symbol of the state and of the unity of the Japanese people. He is the head of the Imperial House of Japan. Under Japan's present constitution, the Emperor is the "symbol of the state and the unity of the people," and is a ceremonial figurehead in a constitutional monarchy ....
 of Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death.

Like all his predecessors, since his death he has been referred to by a posthumous name
Posthumous name

A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in some cultures after the person's death. The posthumous name is commonly used when naming royalty of Table of Chinese monarchs, List of Korean monarchs, Vietnam and emperors of Japan....
. Upon his death a new tradition of giving the late emperor the name of the era
Japanese era name

The Japanese era calendar scheme is a common calendar scheme used in Japan, which identifies a year by the combination of the and the year number within the era....
 coinciding with his reign was established. Having ruled during the Meiji era
Meiji period

The , or Meiji era, denotes the 45-year reign of the Meiji Emperor, running, in the Gregorian calendar, from 23 October 1868 to 30 July 1912. During this time, Japan started its modernization and rose to world power status....
 (Enlightened rule), he is now known as Emperor Meiji. As this is not a personal name, more accurately he should be referred to as "the Meiji emperor".

His personal name was , and although outside of Japan he is sometimes called by this name or Emperor Mutsuhito, in Japan emperors are referred to only by their posthumous names. Use of an emperor's personal name would be considered too familiar, or even derogatory.

At the time of his birth in 1852, Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 was an isolated, pre-industrial
Pre-industrial society

Pre-industrial society refers to specific social attributes and forms of political and cultural organization that were prevalent before the advent of the Industrial Revolution....
, feudal
Feudalism

Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period , in its most classic sense refers to a Middle Ages European political system composed of a set of reciprocal law and military obligations among the warrior nobility, revolving around the three key concepts of lords, vassals, and fiefs....
 country dominated by the Tokugawa Shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate

The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the , and the , was a feudalism regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family....
 and the daimyo
Daimyo

The were powerful territorial lords who ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. The term derives from a shortening of the title , which literally means "great named land" and originally simply referred to the owner of a large estate....
, who ruled over the country's more than 250 decentralized domains
Han (Japan)

The , or domains, were the fiefs of feudal lords of Japan that were created by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and existed until their Abolition of the han system in 1871, three years after the Meiji Restoration....
. By the time of his death in 1912, Japan had undergone a political, social, and industrial revolution at home (See Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration

The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japan's political and social structure....
) and emerged as one of the great power
Great power

A great power is a nation or state that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess economics, military, diplomacy, and soft power strength, which may cause other, smaller nations to consider the opinions of great powers before taking actions of their own....
s on the world stage.

A detailed account of the State Funeral in the New York Times concluded with an observation: "The contrast between that which preceded the funeral car and that which followed it was striking indeed. Before it went old Japan; after it came new Japan."

Events of the Meiji emperor's life

The Meiji emperor was the surviving son of Emperor Komei
Emperor Komei

was the 121st Emperor of Japan of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from March 10, 1846 to January 30, 1867....
 by the lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting

A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a noble court, attending to a Monarch, a princess or other nobility. A lady-in-waiting is often a noblewoman of lower rank than the one she attends to, and is not considered a servant....
 Nakayama Yoshiko
Nakayama Yoshiko

=BiographyNakayama Yoshiko was the daughter of Lord Nakayama Tadayasu, Minister of the Left and a member of the Fujiwara family. Her mother was the 11th daughter of the daimyo of Matsuura Domain, Matsuura Seizan....
(????, 1834–1907), the daughter of Lord Nakayama Tadayasu, sometime minister of the left (sadaijin) and a scion of the Fujiwara. He was born eight months before the arrival of Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry and the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 squadron
Squadron

A squadron is a small military unit or formation of cavalry, Armoured forces, aircraft , or warships....
 of "Black Ships
Black Ships

The Black Ships was the name given to Western vessels arriving in Japan between the 15th and 19th centuries. In particular, it refers to USS Mississippi , USS Plymouth , USS Saratoga , and USS Susquehanna , that arrived on July 14,1853 at Uraga Harbor in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan under the command of United States Matthew Calbraith Perr...
" in Edo
Edo

, literally: Headlands and bays-door, "estuary", ), also Romanization of Japanese as Yedo or Yeddo, is the Geographical renaming of the Capital of Japan Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868....
 Bay
Tokyo Bay

is a bay in the southern Kanto region of Japan. Its old name was ....
 and two years before the first of the unequal treaties which the Tokugawa shogunate signed with Perry. Originally titled Sachi no miya (Prince Sachi), the future emperor spent most of his childhood at the Nakayama household in Kyoto
Kyoto

Sorry, no overview for this topic
, as it was customary to entrust the upbringing of imperial children to prominent court members.

He was formally adopted by Asako Nyogo (later Empress Dowager Eisho), the principal consort of Emperor Komei, on 11 July 1860. He also received the personal name Mutsuhito, the rank of Shinno (Imperial Prince, and thus a potential successor to the throne) and the title of Kotaishi (Crown Prince
Crown Prince

A Crown Prince or Crown Princess is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
) on the same day. Crown Prince Mutsuhito acceded to the throne on 3 February 1867 at the age of fourteen. In the ninth month of the following year, the era
Japanese era name

The Japanese era calendar scheme is a common calendar scheme used in Japan, which identifies a year by the combination of the and the year number within the era....
 was changed to Meiji, or “enlightened rule”, which was later used for the emperor's posthumous name. This marked the beginning of the custom of an era coinciding with an emperor's reign, and posthumously naming the emperor after the era during which he ruled.

On 2 September 1867, the Meiji emperor married Masako (later renamed Haruko) (28 May 1849–19 April 1914), the third daughter of Lord Ichijo Tadaka, sometime minister of the left (sadaijin). Known posthumously as Empress Shoken, she was the first Imperial Consort to receive the title of kogo (literally, the Emperor's wife, translated as Empress Consort
Consort

A consort is a marriage or companion, often of royalty or a deity, sometimes slightly inferior in function/status.* Queen consort, wife of a reigning king...
), in several hundred years. Although she was the first Japanese Empress Consort to play a public role, she bore no children. However, the Meiji emperor had fifteen children by five official ladies-in-waiting. Only five of his children, a prince born to Lady Naruko (1855–1943), the daughter of Yanagiwara Mitsunaru, and four princesses born to Lady Sachiko (1867–1947), the eldest daughter of Count
Count

A count is a nobleman in European countries; The word count comes from French language comte, itself from Latin comes?in its Accusative case comitem?meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor"....
 Sono Motosachi, lived to adulthood. They were:

  • Crown Prince Yoshihito (Haru no miya Yoshihito Shinno), 3rd son, (31 August 1879–25 December 1926) (see Emperor Taisho
    Emperor Taisho

    The was the 123rd Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from July 30, 1912, until his death in 1926.The Emperor?s personal name was ....
    ).
  • Princess Masako (Tsune no miya Masako Naishinno), 6th daughter, (30 September 1888–8 March 1940), titled Tsune no miya (Princess Tsune) until marriage; m. at Imperial Palace, Tokyo, 30 April 1908 to Prince Takeda Tsunehisa
    Prince Takeda Tsunehisa

    was the founder of the Takeda-no-miya oke]BiographyPrince Takeda Tsunehisa was the eldest son of Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa and thus the brother of Prince Kitashirakawa Naruhisa....
     (Takeda no miya Tsunehisa o, 22 September 1882–23 April 1919), and had issue (offspring
    Offspring

    In biology, offspring is the product of reproduction, a new organism produced by one or more parents.Collective offspring may be known as a brood or progeny in a more general way....
    ).
  • Princess Fusako (Kane no miya Fusako Naishinno), 7th daughter, (28 January 1890–11 August 1974), titled Kane no miya (Princess Kane) until marriage; m. at Imperial Palace, Tokyo 29 April 1909 to Prince Kitashirakawa Naruhisa
    Prince Kitashirakawa Naruhisa

    , was the 3rd head of a oke of the Imperial Household of Japan....
     (Kitashirakawa no miya Naruhisa o, 1 April 1887–2 April 1923), and had issue.
  • Princess Nobuko (Fumi no miya Nobuko Naishinno), 8th daughter, (7 August 1891–3 November 1933); titled Fumi no miya (Princess Fumi) until marriage; m. at Imperial Palace, Tokyo 6 May 1909 to Prince Asaka Yasuhiko (Asaka no miya Yasuhiko o, 2 October 1887–13 April 1981), and had issue.
  • Princess Toshiko (Yasu no miya Toshiko Naishinno), 9th daughter, (11 May 1896–5 March 1978); titled Yasu no miya (Princess Yasu) until marriage; m. at Imperial Palace, Tokyo 18 May 1915 to Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko (Higashikuni no miya Naruhiko τ, 3 December 1887–20 January 1990), and had issue.


Meiji Restoration


The Meiji emperor was the symbolic leader of the Meiji Restoration, in which the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate

The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the , and the , was a feudalism regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family....
 was abolished by Imperial forces following the Boshin War
Boshin War

The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the Emperor of Japan....
. The Charter Oath
Five Charter Oath

The was promulgated at the enthronement of Emperor Meiji of Japan on 7 April 1868. The Oath outlined the main aims and the course of action to be followed during Emperor Meiji's reign, setting the legal stage for Japan's modernization....
, a five-point statement of the nature of the new government, abolished feudalism
Feudalism

Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period , in its most classic sense refers to a Middle Ages European political system composed of a set of reciprocal law and military obligations among the warrior nobility, revolving around the three key concepts of lords, vassals, and fiefs....
 and proclaimed a modern democratic government for Japan. Although a parliament
Diet of Japan

The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives of Japan, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors....
 was formed, it had no real power, and neither did the emperor. Power had passed from the Tokugawa into the hands of those Daimyo and other samurai who had led the Restoration. Japan was thus controlled by the Genro
Genro

was an unofficial designation given to certain retired elder Japanese statesmen, considered the "founding fathers" of modern Japan, who served as informal extraconstitutional advisors to the emperor, during the Meiji period and Taisho period periods in History of Japan....
, an oligarchy
Oligarchy

Oligarchy is a form of government where political power effectively rests with a small Elitism segment of society distinguished by royalty, wealth, family, military influence or occult spiritual hegemony....
, which comprised the most powerful men of the military, political, and economic spheres. The emperor, if nothing else, showed greater political longevity than his recent predecessors, as he was the first Japanese monarch to remain on the throne past the age of 50 since the abdication of Emperor Ogimachi
Emperor Ogimachi

Emperor Ogimachi was the 106th Emperor of Japan of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from October 27?, 1557 to December 17, 1586, corresponding to the transition between the Sengoku Period and the Azuchi-Momoyama period....
 in 1586.

The Meiji Restoration is a source of pride for the Japanese, as it and the accompanying industrialization allowed Japan to become the preeminent power in the Pacific and a major player in the world within a generation
Generation

Generation , also known as reproduction, is the act of producing offspring. In a more generic sense, it can also refer to the act of creating something inanimate such as electricity generation or cryptography code generation....
. Yet, the Meiji emperor's role in the Restoration is debatable. He certainly did not control Japan, but how much influence he wielded is unknown. It is unlikely it will ever be clear whether he supported the Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) or the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War

The Russo-Japanese War or the Manchurian Campaign in some English sources, was a conflict that grew out of the rival imperialism ambitions of the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over Manchuria and Korea....
 (1904–1905). One of the few windows we have into the Emperor's own feelings is his poetry, which seems to indicate a pacifist
Pacifism

Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes or gaining advantage. Pacifism covers a spectrum of views ranging from the belief that international disputes can and should be peacefully resolved; to calls for the abolition of the institutions of the military and war; to opposition to any organization of society...
 streak, or at least a man who wished war could be avoided.

Near the end of his life several anarchists, including Kotoku Shusui
Kotoku Shusui

was a socialism and anarchism who played a leading role in introducing anarchism to Japan in the early 20th century, particularly by translating the works of contemporary European and Russian anarchists, such as Peter Kropotkin, into Japanese language....
, were executed on charges of having conspired to murder the sovereign. This conspiracy was known as the High Treason Incident
High Treason Incident

The , also known as the , was a socialist-anarchist plot to assassinate the Japanese Emperor Meiji in 1910, leading to a mass arrest of leftists, and the execution of 12 alleged conspirators in 1911....
.

Timeline of Events during the Life and Reign of the Meiji Emperor

The Meiji era ushered in many far-reaching changes to the ancient feudal society of Japan. Presented here is a timeline of those major events:

  • 3 November 1852: the Meiji emperor (then known as Sachinomiya) is born to the imperial concubine Nakayama Yoshiko and Emperor Komei
    Emperor Komei

    was the 121st Emperor of Japan of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from March 10, 1846 to January 30, 1867....


  • 1853: A fleet of ships headed by Commodore
    Commodore (rank)

    Commodore is a military rank used in many navy for officers whose position exceeds that of a navy Captain , but is less than that of a rear admiral....
     Matthew Perry arrives in Japan on 8 July; considered the "Opening" of Japan. Death of the Shogun.


  • 1854–55: Treaties are signed with America
    United States

    The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
     by the Bakufu


  • late 1850s–1860s: The "sonno-joi" movement is in full force.


  • 1858: Treaties are signed with the Netherlands
    Netherlands

    The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....
    , Imperial Russia, and Great Britain
    Great Britain

    Great Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the List of islands by area, and the largest in Europe. With a population of 58.9 million people it is List of islands by population....
     by the Bakufu.


  • March 1860: The Tairo
    Tairo

    Tairo was a high-ranking official position in the bakuhan taisei government of Japan. The tairo would preside over the governing Roju council in the event of an emergency....
    , Ii Naosuke
    Ii Naosuke

    was daimyo of Hikone and also Tairo of Tokugawa Shogunate, Japan, a position he held from April 23, 1858 until his death on March 24, 1860. He is most famous for signing the Harris Treaty with the United States, granting access to ports for trade to American merchants and seamen and extraterritoriality to American citizens....
    , is assassinated.


  • 11 November: Sachinomiya is formally proclaimed Crown Prince and given the personal name Mutsuhito.


  • 1862: Namamugi Incident
    Namamugi Incident

    The was a samurai assault on foreign nationals in Japan on September 14, 1862, which resulted in the August 1863 bombardment of Kagoshima, during the Late Tokugawa shogunate....


  • 1864–65: Bombardment of Shimonoseki
    Bombardment of Shimonoseki

    The Bombardment of Shimonoseki refers to a series of military engagements fought in 1863-64 , by joint naval forces from United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Second French Empire, the Netherlands and the United States, against the Japanese feudal domain of Choshu domain, which took place along the banks of Kanmon Straits off the coa...
     by British, American, French, and Dutch ships; fighting ensues between the shogunate and Choshu.


  • 1866: Death of the Shogun, Tokugawa Iemochi
    Tokugawa Iemochi

    was the 14th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, who held office 1858 to 1866. During his reign, there was much internal turmoil caused by the first major contact with the United States which occurred under Matthew C....
     on 29 August; appointment of Tokugawa Yoshinobu
    Tokugawa Yoshinobu

    Prince Tokugawa Yoshinobu was the 15th and last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He was part of a movement which aimed to reform the aging shogunate, but was ultimately unsuccessful....
     as Shogun
    Shogun

    is a military rank and historical title for Hereditary Commanders in Chief of the Armed Forces of Japan. The Japanese word for "general", it is made up of two kanji characters: sho, meaning "commander", "general", or "admiral", and gun meaning military troops or warriors....
    .


  • 31 January 1867: Death of Emperor Komei
    Emperor Komei

    was the 121st Emperor of Japan of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from March 10, 1846 to January 30, 1867....
     from hemorrhagic smallpox
    Smallpox

    Smallpox is an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning spotted, or varus, meaning "pimple"....
    , unofficial accession of Mutsuhito to the throne.


  • 4 January 1868: Formal restoration of imperial
    Imperial

    Imperial is a term that is used to describe something that relates to an empire, emperor, or the concept ofimperialism.Imperial may also refer to:...
     rule
    Rule

    A rule is:* Rewrite rule, in generative grammar and computer science* Standardization, a formal and widely-accepted statement, fact, definition, or qualification...
    ; end of 265 years of rule by the Tokugawa Shogunate
    Tokugawa shogunate

    The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the , and the , was a feudalism regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family....


  • 12 September: Formal coronation
    Coronation

    A coronation is a ceremony marking the investiture of a monarch with regal power, specifically involving the placement of a coronation crown upon his or her head, and the presentation of other items of regalia....
     of the emperor Meiji.


  • 23 October: The nengo is changed to the first year of Meiji.


  • 6 November: The capital is moved from Kyoto
    Kyoto

    Sorry, no overview for this topic
     to Edo, renamed Tokyo
    Tokyo

    , officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshu. The twenty-three special wards of Tokyo, each governed as a city, cover the area that was once the Tokyo City in the eastern part of the prefecture, and total over 8 million people....
    .


  • late 1860s–1881: Period of rebellion and assassination in Japan.


  • 11 January 1869: Marriage of Meiji to Ichijo Haruko, thenceforth the Empress Shoken.


  • 4 September: Meiji receives The Duke of Edinburgh.


  • 1871: The abolition of the han domains is proclaimed.


  • 1873: Edo castle
    Edo Castle

    , also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ota Dokan. It is located in Chiyoda, Tokyo in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province....
     is destroyed in a conflagration
    Conflagration

    Conflagration is an uncontrolled burning that threatens human life, health, property or ecology. A conflagration can be accidental or intentionally created ....
    ; the emperor moves to the Akasaka Palace. Meiji's first children are born, but die at birth.


  • 1877: The Satsuma Rebellion
    Satsuma Rebellion

    The , was a revolt of Satsuma han ex-samurai against the Meiji government from January 29, 1877 to September 24,1877, 11 years into the Meiji Era. It was the last, and the most serious, of a series of armed uprisings against the new government....


  • 1878: Assassination
    Assassination

    Assassination is the targeted killing of a public figure. Assassinations may be prompted by ideology, politics, or military reasons. Additionally, assassins may be motivated by contract killing, revenge, or celebrity or may be mental disorder....
     of Okubo Toshimichi
    Okubo Toshimichi

    , was a Japanese statesman, a samurai of Satsuma Province, and one of the three great nobles who led the Meiji Restoration. He is regarded as one of the main founders of modern Japan....
    .


  • 31 August 1879: Prince Yoshihito
    Yoshihito

    Yoshihito is a Japanese name, used for males, normally only of the imperial family. It may refer to:*Emperor Taisho , previously known as Prince Yoshihito...
    , the future Taisho Tenno
    Emperor Taisho

    The was the 123rd Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from July 30, 1912, until his death in 1926.The Emperor?s personal name was ....
     and Meiji's only surviving son, is born.


  • 1881 Receives the first state visit of a foreign monarch, King Kalakaua
    Kalakaua

    Kalakaua I, born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalakaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch , was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii....
     of Hawaii
    Hawaii

    File:Pahoehoe and Aa flows at Hawaii.jpgThe State of Hawaii is a U.S. state in the United States, located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia....
    .


  • 1889: Meiji Constitution
    Meiji Constitution

    The , more commonly known as the 'Imperial' or 'Meiji Constitution', was the fundamental law of the Empire of Japan from 29 November 1890 until 2 May 1947....
     promulgated; Ito Hirobumi
    Ito Hirobumi

    Prince was a Japanese statesman, Resident-General of Korea, four time Prime Minister of Japan and genro. Ito was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the Annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire....
     becomes first Prime Minister of Japan
    Prime Minister of Japan

    The is the usual English-language term used for the head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Prime Minister of the Cabinet....
    .
  • 1894: Sino-Japanese War
    Sino-Japanese War

    There were two wars known as the Sino-Japanese War :* The First Sino-Japanese War occurred between 1894 and 1895, primarily over control of Korea....
    , a Japanese victory which establishes Japan as a regional power.
  • 1904-1905: Russo-Japanese War
    Russo-Japanese War

    The Russo-Japanese War or the Manchurian Campaign in some English sources, was a conflict that grew out of the rival imperialism ambitions of the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over Manchuria and Korea....
    , a Japanese victory which establishes Japan a status of a great power.
  • 1912: The emperor dies.


Personal information

  • Father
    • Emperor Komei
      Emperor Komei

      was the 121st Emperor of Japan of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from March 10, 1846 to January 30, 1867....
  • Mother
    • Nakayama Yoshiko, a concubine of Emperor Komei,
  • Wife
    • Ichijo Masako, the Empress Shoken, also known as "Haruko"
  • Concubines
    • Lady Mitsuko (1853-1873), not much is known about Lady Mitsuko, however she gave birth to the Emperor's first son. She died in childbirth
      Childbirth

      Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the delivery of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus. The process of normal human childbirth is categorized in three stages of labour: the shortening and dilation of the cervix, descent and delivery of the infant, and delivery of the placenta.....
      .
    • Lady Natsuko (1856–1873), not much is known about Lady Natsuko, however she gave birth to the Emperor's first daughter and also died in childbirth
      Childbirth

      Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the delivery of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus. The process of normal human childbirth is categorized in three stages of labour: the shortening and dilation of the cervix, descent and delivery of the infant, and delivery of the placenta.....
      .
    • Yanagiwara Naruko (1855–1943)
    • Chigusa Kotoko (1855–1944)
    • Sono Sachiko (1867–1947)
  • Children
    • A prince, born on 18 September 1873, but died on the same day, whose mother was Lady Mitsuko
    • A princess, born on 13 November 1873, but died on the same day, whose mother was Lady Natsuko
    • Shigeko, (25 January 1875–8 June 1876) the Princess Ume, whose mother was Lady Naruko
    • Yukihito, (23 September 1877–26 July 1878) the Prince Take, whose mother was Lady Naruko
    • Yoshihito, the Emperor Taisho
      Emperor Taisho

      The was the 123rd Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from July 30, 1912, until his death in 1926.The Emperor?s personal name was ....
    • Akiko, (3 August 1881–6 September 1883) the Princess Shige, whose mother was Lady Kotoko
    • Fumiko, (26 January 1883–8 September 1883) the Princess Masu, whose mother was Lady Kotoko
    • Shizuko, (10 February 1886–4 April 1887) the Princess Hisa, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
    • Michihito, (1887–1888) the Prince Aki, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
    • Masako, (30 September 1888–8 March 1940) the Princess Tsune, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
    • Fusako, (28 January 1890–11 August 1974) the Princess Kane, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
    • Nobuko, (7 August 1891–3 November 1933) the Princess Fumi, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
    • Teruhito, (1893–1894) the Prince Mitsu, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
    • Toshiko, (11 May 1896–5 March 1978) the Princess Yasu, whose mother was Lady Sachiko
    • Takiko, (1897–1899) the Princess Sada whose mother was Lady Sachiko


Emperor Meiji in popular culture

  • Actor Shichinosuke Nakamura played Emperor Meiji in the 2003 Hollywood film The Last Samurai
    The Last Samurai

    The Last Samurai is a 2003 drama film/war film directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick, who also co-wrote the screenplay based on a story by John Logan ....
    .


External links

  • The New Student's Reference Work/Mutsuhito, Emperor of Japan