February 11th 1889: Meiji Constitution promulgated
On this day in 1889, the Meiji Constitutiotn was promulgated by the Emperor of Japan. The constitution was drafted following the end of samurai rule and the restoration of the Emperor in the 1868 Meiji Restoration, which also saw a period of modernisation as the nation sought to compete with Western powers. The constitution called for the establishment of a legislative body, thus, when the constitution went into effect on November 29th 1890, the first parliamentary Diet convened. The constitution limited executive power, but retained significant powers to the Emperor, most importantly over the military, which allowed for Japan’s subsequent imperial expansion. After Japan surrendered to the Allies at the end of World War Two, the Meiji Constitution was suspended. However, the Meiji Constitution was later revised to become the Constitution of Japan, which provided for a liberal democracy.
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