| |
| 1872 |
| |
| Universal military service, primarily the project of Yamagata Aritomo (1838–1922), was introduced (adopted as policy in Jan. 1873). The new army was modeled on the French army, and later on that of the Germans. The first railway was opened (Tokyo to Yokohama, 18 miles) at state initiative. National bank regulations were promulgated on the U.S. model. The government issued an ordinance for the establishment of a single, public, nationwide educational system for the entire country to replace the many and varied systems in operation. Four years were initially mandatory, but soon rescinded as unrealistic; the four-year compulsory plan was reinstituted in 1900 and extended to six years in 1902. | 1 |
| |
| 1873, Jan. 1 |
| |
| The solar Gregorian calendar was adopted in place of the lunar one. British officers were employed to help reorganize the Japanese navy. A policy of religious tolerance called for the removal of signs forbidding Christianity and for the propagation of that religion once again. | 2 |
Itagaki Taisuke (1837–1919) from Tosa, Soejima Taneomi (1828–1905) from Hizen, Et Shinpei (1834–74) from Hizen, and Saig Takamori from Satsuma all left the government and issued an appeal for the promulgation of a constitution. | 3 |
| |
| Oct |
| |
After considerable debate, a peaceful policy toward Korea was adopted rather than a bellicose one. Itagaki Taisuke and Saig Takamori supported war both for nationalist ends and as a means of employment for many samurai who no longer had a hereditary position in society. Opposition to war came from  kubo Toshimichi, Kido Kin, and Iwakura Tomomi. Itagaki and Saig resigned their posts in the government. | 4 |
| Monetary, banking, and taxation systems were established by 1873, primarily the work of kuma Shigenobu (1838–1922) and It Hirobumi. Although agriculture continued to be the basis of the national economy, taxes were now to be collected in money. | 5 |
| The Meirokusha (The Meiji 6 Society) was founded by Mori Arinori (1847–89); it was dedicated to the study of Western knowledge. It played an important role in the “Civilization and Enlightenment” (bunmei kaika) movement, as Japan now took the West as its model for knowledge and reform. Fukuzawa Yukichi, as one prominent voice in this movement and later as founder of Kei University, argued for basic social reformation; for greater gender equality, including giving women both education and the right to hold property; and for the inadequacy of filial piety in the modern age. Basic to this position were beliefs in natural law and, later, Social Darwinism. | 6 |
| |
| |
