I'm neither the government of the Emperor nor the Tokugawa shogunate.
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
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Roughly speaking、the origin of that policy seems to have been something like this.
"For example、Tokugawa returned to the Emperor the right to govern Japan、which had been entrusted to him for a long time.
Therefore、from now on、Tokugawa will become just another daimyo、no different from other daimyo.
However、even so、Tokugawa is certainly just a daimyo、but it is the greatest daimyo in Japan that stands out from the rest.
And by doing so、above all、we will be freed from the burden of governing Japan (which is horribly expensive)、which is exhausting both physically and mentally.
I believe this is the best path for the Tokugawa clan going forward."
A long time ago、Okubo、a cabinet member of the Tokugawa shogunate、said this.
(Okubo of Satsuma is of course a different person)
As a result、he was laughed at by those around him.
※I don't know now what period of the end of the Edo period "a long time ago" refers to. 2024012122:41(japan time).
By the way、it seems that he was the first to recognize Katsu's talent.
By the way、it seems that he was the first to recognize Katsu's talent.
※Now、I just looked it up in the electronic dictionary and it says that he studied under Katsu (lol).
※Of course、it is not strange for disciples to choose their masters themselves (lol). 2024012122:51(japan time).
・・・・・・・・・
"The Tokugawa Shogunate returned the right to rule Japan to the Emperor and become a mere daimyo.
That's a very good thing、or in fact、it should be.
Well、Satsuma is now trying to use force to seize control of Japan from the Tokugawa.
However、Japan is currently in a situation where it cannot afford a civil war.
※In this era、the reality of the world is imperialism.
In short、the Tokugawa should return power to the Emperor of its own accord as soon as possible.
As a result、Satsuma would definitely lose the opportunity to wage war against the Shogunate.
And above all my opinion should agree with Tosa's.
To be honest、Tosa is currently far behind the trends of the times.
However、by doing so、Tosa can jump to the forefront of the trends of the times."
And now、Sakamoto has conveyed this idea to Goto.
・・・・・・・・・
After some time、this policy became a reality.
※Having said that、an armed conflict between the new government and the Tokugawa shogunate did occur.
However、it did not lead to a large-scale all-out war between the new government forces and the forces directly under the control of the Tokugawa shogunate. 2024012320:50(japan time).
"Because Yoshinobu was very intelligent.
This policy could not have been implemented without him."
In later years、after the Meiji Restoration、Goto recalled this.
By the way、when Yoshinobu was requested by the central government of the Tokugawa shogunate to assume the post of shogun、he conveyed one request to them.
"Okay、I agree to become the head of the Tokugawa clan.
However、I have no intention of becoming the new shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate、or in other words、the head of the Japanese government under the current system.
Because no matter how I analyze the current situation in Japan、the result is that Japan needs to fundamentally change its political system immediately.
Let us、the Tokugawa clan、first set an example of change and show the impetus for change to other domains and the common people."
This request of Yoshinobu was naturally rejected by the central government of the Tokugawa shogunate、and he was appointed as the 15th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.
But、Yoshinobu - Okubo (I don't know now if he was in an important position during this period、but he was also one of the key figures in the Tokugawa shogunate) - Katsu - Sakamoto.
"We should never start a civil war in Japan because we will only become prey to Western countries."
Perhaps such a "line of will" existed.
※"Japan is a country that cannot improve things at all on its own unless the Black Ships (in short、Commodore Perry's fleet as a symbol) come."
In Japan since the modern era、there is an idiom like this.
I remember reading、perhaps in Ishihara Shintaro(garbage executed)'s book、about a Japanese bureaucrat who wanted to change something in the Japanese system and asked America to put pressure on the Japanese government. 2024012321:37(japan time).
"There is no way that the Kyoto court nobles、who have been in the leisure class for hundreds of years and do nothing but complain、can manage Japan.
If they want it、we should just give them the right to govern Japan.
In any case、they will soon find themselves stuck in national management and will cry to us、the Tokugawa.
At that time、we will be able to obtain the initiative of the new Japanese government under better conditions."
I don't know what Yoshinobu thought、but when he returned the Japanese government to the Emperor、it seems that there were many people within the Tokugawa shogunate who took this view (though it may have been an optimistic view based on sentiment).
If I were to tell you the result、the leadership in managing Japan was held by the bureaucrats of the clans who had participated in the revolution、and it was never returned to them.
And more、at the start of the Meiji Restoration、it seems that the role played by former Tokugawa Shogunate officials in the practical (frontline) aspects of state management cannot be ignored (however、it did not lead to a large-scale all-out war between the new government forces and the forces directly under the control of the Tokugawa shogunate). 2024012322:11(japan time).
Even if I only think about Japan in the early Meiji period、it may have been a slightly distorted、heavily bureaucratic state that modernized in a hurry to achieve the goal of not becoming a colony of Western countries. 2024012322:25(japan time).
※I believe that Japan at that time chose an unusually centralized state system in order to quickly introduce Western civilization and modernize Japan as a whole. 2024012811:47(japan time).
Wednesday, 14 November 2012
eight policy in the ship
"I certainly think that is the best way to avoid the current critical situation."
After a moment of silence, Goto agreed to Sakamoto's proposal.
"But there is one problem."
Goto continued speaking.
"Actually、it may be rude to say this for you、but the number of Tosa feudal retainers who want an armed uprising to defeat the shogunate is increasing day by day.
In order to make your proposal a reality as a policy for the Tosa clan、I have to persuade these people.
Yōdō Kou and his main vassals are currently in Kyoto、so if possible、would you please come with me to Kyoto in order to unify the policies of the Tosa clan with this policy？"
Goto said so to Sakamoto、and Sakamoto had agree it.
On the ship bound for Kyoto、Sakamoto and his secretary、Nagaoka Kenkichi、put together the outline of the "Return of the Imperial Government/taiseihōkan'".
※"Secretary" is a very modern expression for Japanese society at the time、but I can often find writings from the Showa era onwards that describe Nagaoka in this way.
・・・・・・・・・
Ⅰ. The Tokugawa Shogunate returns control of Japan to the Emperor.
Therefore、from now on、various government ordinances will only be issued by the government sponsored by the Emperor.
Ⅱ. Establish the Senate and the House of Representatives as bodies for discussion and resolution of national policy.
All national policies are decided here.
Ⅲ. nobles、lords、and all citizens.
The Emperor's government appropriately appoints the best among them as advisors to the government.
As a result、all existing government positions will be abolished.
Ⅳ. The Emperor's government scrutinizes the legitimacy of treaties concluded by the Tokugawa Shogunate with foreign countries.
And based on the results、the Emperor's government concludes new treaties with foreign countries.
Ⅴ. All existing Japanese laws and regulations will be reviewed and laws and regulations will be enacted that suit the modern current situation.
Ⅵ. Modernizing and strengthening the national navy;
Ⅶ. To select the best soldiers from various feudal domains and create a Royal Guard army to protect the Emperor and the Imperial Capital.
Ⅷ. The value of gold and silver in Japan will be adjusted so that they have the same value and are not drastically different from those in Western countries.
This is called "Senchu Hassaku".
"Senchu Hassaku" meaning is ”Eight policy in the ship”.
