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October 14–25, 1873 (Meiji 6)
Tokyo (the Council of State, the Iwakura residence and elsewhere)
Forces
Councillors who urged sending an envoy
Those who put domestic affairs first and urged postponement
About 13 min read
The Political Crisis of Meiji 6 was an incident in 1873 in which the government split over sending an envoy to Korea, the cabinet meetings broke down in October, and five councillors, Saigō Takamori, Itagaki Taisuke, Gotō Shōjirō, Etō Shinpei and Soejima Taneomi, resigned and left the government. It is also called the "Seikanron crisis." The side that urged dispatch lost, and the government was reorganized around Ōkubo Toshimichi and others who put domestic affairs first, with effects that reached the later samurai rebellions, the freedom and popular rights movement, and Japan's diplomacy toward Korea.
Japan adopted the solar calendar on January 1, 1873 (Meiji 6), so dates in that year are in the same calendar as today's.
The Meiji government sent a diplomatic letter to Korea, but because it contained the characters for "imperial edict" (勅) and "emperor" (皇), the Korean side refused to receive it. When a later letter containing the term "tenshi" (son of heaven) was sent, diplomatic relations between Japan and Korea came to a standstill. The problem remained unresolved for the Meiji government.
In the 11th month of Meiji 4 (1871, by the old calendar) the Iwakura Mission left Japan. The caretaker government that stayed behind had promised to refrain from large-scale domestic reform, but in practice the ministries pushed reforms forward. At a meeting on the 9th day of the 11th month, before the mission's departure, Itagaki Taisuke argued for sending an envoy to Korea, but it was agreed not to touch the Korea question. That same month of Meiji 4 the islanders of Miyako-jima were shipwrecked, which raised calls for a punitive expedition to Taiwan. Inoue Kaoru and others of the Finance Ministry argued for putting domestic affairs first, the expedition was shelved, and Soejima Taneomi was sent to the Qing instead.
On January 19, 1873, orders went out for Kido Takayoshi and Ōkubo Toshimichi to return early. On April 19, Etō Shinpei, Ōki Takatō and Gotō Shōjirō became councillors. All were figures who stood against the Finance Ministry, and Inoue Kaoru, unable to become a councillor, resigned from the ministry. Ōkubo returned to Japan on May 29 but did not take up his post in the government.
On May 31 a report arrived from Hirotsu Hironobu at Pusan that a Korean notice contained discourteous wording toward Japan. Itagaki argued for sending an envoy after dispatching troops. Saigō Takamori opposed sending troops and argued that he himself should go as envoy. The Grand Minister, Sanjō Sanetomi, asked that troops accompany him, but Saigō refused. It was decided to wait for Soejima's return before deciding. Kido returned on July 23 but boycotted a return to the government.
On August 16 Saigō visited Sanjō and pressed hard for approval of the mission. At the cabinet meeting on August 17 Saigō's dispatch was decided, though the details were left open. Emperor Meiji answered that they should wait for Iwakura's return and deliberate fully.
Iwakura Tomomi returned on September 13 and worked toward the return of Kido and Ōkubo. Taking the position that domestic affairs came first, Iwakura argued that an envoy should not be sent immediately. On October 12 Ōkubo and Soejima returned as councillors, but Kido refused to return to cabinet meetings.
At the meetings of October 14 and 15, Iwakura argued for postponing the mission. Itagaki, Etō, Gotō, Soejima and others backed Saigō and demanded immediate dispatch. Sanjō accepted the sending of Saigō itself but set no date.
On October 17 Iwakura sent Sanjō a letter indicating he wished to resign, and Ōkubo and Kido also submitted resignations, so cabinet meetings could no longer be held. On the 18th Sanjō fell ill, and on the 19th Soejima, Etō, Gotō and Ōki asked that Iwakura be made acting Grand Minister.
On October 20, by a plan devised by Ōkubo, Emperor Meiji visited Sanjō's residence and then proceeded to Iwakura's, and Iwakura's appointment as acting Grand Minister came about. On the 22nd the four councillors Saigō, Itagaki, Soejima and Etō visited Iwakura's residence and demanded that the dispatch be ordered at once, but Iwakura did not comply.
On October 23 Saigō submitted his resignation and set out for home. Iwakura reported the course of events to the emperor, who said he would answer the next day. On October 24 the emperor decided to postpone the mission. Saigō's resignation was accepted as to his posts as councillor and commander of the Imperial Guard, but his resignation as army general was rejected.
The resignations of Itagaki, Etō, Gotō and Soejima were submitted on October 24 and accepted on the 25th. As a result, the five councillors who had urged the dispatch left the government. In addition, some 600 soldiers and officials are said to have resigned. About 100 officers of Saigō's circle and about 40 men from Tosa were among them, and the Imperial Guard in particular lost large numbers of troops and is said to have been effectively dissolved.
On October 25 Terashima Munenori, Itō Hirobumi and Katsu Yasuyoshi became councillors, and Ōki Takatō also served as Minister of Justice. Kido declined to serve concurrently as Finance Minister, citing illness. Sanjō returned as Grand Minister in December. Ōkubo established the Home Ministry and became its minister, strengthening his power. Itō Hirobumi moved away from Kido and closer to Ōkubo.
In 1874 Kido, who opposed the Taiwan expedition, left the government. At the Osaka Conference of 1875 the return of Kido and Itagaki as councillors was agreed, but it soon fell apart. The system led by Ōkubo lasted until the Kioizaka Incident of 1878.
The later fates of those who left reflect the effects of the crisis. Saigō and Etō later led samurai rebellions; Etō's was the Saga Rebellion of Meiji 7 (1874). Itagaki, for his part, joined the freedom and popular rights movement and became an opponent of the government.
As a result of the crisis, power in the government gathered on the side of Iwakura Tomomi, Ōkubo Toshimichi and others who had decided to postpone the mission. As described above, those who resigned demanding the dispatch went in two directions, the samurai rebellions and the freedom and popular rights movement.
The Korea question did not vanish with the crisis. Negotiations under the September 1874 agreement broke down in June 1875, and the Ganghwa Island incident followed immediately, leading to the Japan-Korea Treaty of Amity. Even after the proposal to dispatch an envoy was set aside, relations with Korea remained a task for the government.
The main dates, all in 1873 (Meiji 6), are as follows.
- January 19: Kido Takayoshi and Ōkubo Toshimichi ordered to return early. - April 19: Etō Shinpei, Ōki Takatō and Gotō Shōjirō become councillors. - May 31: a report arrives from Pusan about the Korean notice. - August 17: Saigō's dispatch decided at a cabinet meeting, with details left open. - September 13: Iwakura Tomomi returns. - October 14–15: the cabinet divides over immediate dispatch or postponement. - October 20: Iwakura becomes acting Grand Minister. - October 23: Saigō submits his resignation and leaves for home. - October 24: the emperor decides to postpone the dispatch. - October 25: the resignations of Itagaki, Etō, Gotō and Soejima are accepted.
Laid out this way, the period from Iwakura's return to the resignations of Saigō and the others was packed into only about six weeks.