Abolition of the han system

The abolition of the Han and the establishment of prefectures (Japanese廃 藩 置 県, Haihan chiken ) is a 1871 carried out by the Meiji government reform measure, in which the feudal fief ( han ) of the Edo period were replaced by a centralized management. After the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate, this was the crucial step of the Meiji Restoration, the daimyo of the authority of the Tenno ( Emperor ) were subjected to.

Boshin War

In the Boshin war 1868-69, the Tokugawa shogunate and its loyal supporters who Ouetsu Reppan domei was beaten by the new Meiji government, which relied mainly on troops from Chōshū and Satsuma. The land, which was directly under the control of the Shogunate ( Tenryō ), or his direct vassals ( hatamoto ), as well as the area that managed the defeated Daimyo was confiscated. It was reorganized as prefectures with governors employed directly by the government (知事, Chiji ). This was in about a quarter of the land area of Japan.

Return of the lands and subjects

The second phase of the return took place in 1869. On the initiative of Kido Takayoshi of Chōshū, and with the support of Hofadligen Iwakura Tomomi and Sanjō Sanetomi, gave Mōri Takachika, daimyo of Chōshū and Shimazu Hisamitsu, Regent of Satsuma, the two leading forces behind the crackdown of the Tokugawa, their lands to the emperor back. To prove her loyalty, 260 followed the other daimyo this example and gave between July 25 and August 2 back their lands. Only 14 Daimyō this measure added not voluntary, and were forced by the imperial court under threat of military strength to do it. The second phase is also referred to as the " return of the lands and subjects" (版 籍 奉还, hanseki Hokan ).

In return for the transfer of their hereditary rights, the daimyo were used by the government as governors of their old lands back. The taxation was centralized; paid as taxes Rice went directly to the central government, only 10% of that revenue went directly to the governor. Taxes were calculated according to the actual rice production, and no longer, as specified in the Edo period as a fixed value for a region.

The governors could still select their subordinates itself, but the minimum qualifications were set by the central government. To loosen the feudal ties further, they were also paid by the Governor no longer itself, but by the local representative of the government.

The title of the daimyo was abolished and replaced in July 1869 with the newly created Kazoku system.

Consolidation

Although the daimyo were now employees of the new government, they had still a great deal of financial and military independence, and continues the loyalty of their subjects. On top of that nation's 2 million samurai lost their jobs by the resolution of forces and administrations of the Han. Through the creation of the new army, and administrations, this could be partially offset, though it came in different places at revolts.

This was felt by the new government as a threat, and so was Okubo Toshimichi with the help of Saigo Takamori, Kido Takayoshi, Iwakura Tomomi and Yamagata Aritomo brought a new imperial edict on the road on August 29, 1871 with the 261 existing feudal were reorganized into 305 prefectures, including 3 fu ( Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka) and 302 banks. Through several mergers, the number of banks was reduced until February 1872 72. By further mergers in 1876, which were then to 1888 partially reversed, the number stabilized at 47 banks and 3 fu. Today is the first subdivision of the state - todofuken (都 道 府 県) - as follows: 1 to ( = Tōkyō-to ), 1 dō ( = Hokkai - dō ), 2 fu ( Osaka -fu and Kyoto - fu) and 43 ken ( prefectures = 43 ), resulting in 47 administrative units at this level.

The Meiji government obtained the support of the former daimyo of this reorganization, through significant financial expenses: It granted the daimyo not only generous salaries, they also took over the debts of the former Han, and promised issued by the Han in-house bills ( Hansatsu ) to convert nominal value. In 1874, the new government was in financial difficulties and was unable to finance longer the salaries and pensions of the daimyo. The payments granted to date have been converted into government bonds worth 5 years' salary, to which the government paid interest at 5% per year.

Makino Nobuaki, one of the students in the Iwakura Mission, wrote in his memoirs: "Together with the abolition of the han system, the deployment of the Iwakura Mission to America and Europe as the most important events must be named after the foundation of our state have created the Meiji Restoration. "

Comments

Swell

• Chris Bramall: Sources of Chinese Economic Growth, 1978-1996. Oxford University Press, 2000, ISBN 0198296975th
• Marius B. Jansen: The Making of Modern Japan. Belknap Press, 2000, ISBN 0,674,009,916th
• Sugiyama Takie LeBra: Above the Clouds: Status Culture of the Modern Japanese Nobility. University of California Press, Berkeley, California 1993, ISBN 978-0-520-07602-0.

• Han
• 1871
• Policy ( Japan)
• Meiji Restoration