Start 1861: I just inherited the Dutch throne

Chapter 894 The rise of Ito Bowen

On April 1881, 4, the spokesperson of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced at a regular press conference that it was dissatisfied with Japan's damage to the diplomatic interests of the Netherlands and expressed its intention to lower the diplomatic relations between Japan and Japan. From the ambassador level to the charge d'affaires level, the embassy The person in charge, Ambassador Morris, got on the ship that had returned to Melbourne from Tokyo to report on his duties.

At the same time, the spokesperson of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced that the Netherlands will prohibit new economic cooperation with Japan from now on, prohibit new investments of Dutch capital from entering the Japanese market, and will not approve Dutch industrial technology from now on. Flowed into Japan.
As the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs listed them one by one.

Japan is subject to economic sanctions!

This is the first thing that comes to mind of people from all over the world.

Everyone couldn't help but think of the French Empire that invaded the Kingdom of Siam and was sanctioned by the Netherlands starting in 1868. In the end, the French Empire suffered heavy losses, especially when the allies of the Netherlands joined in.

Now that Japan has also become the target of Dutch sanctions, the Netherlands' actions immediately shocked the world.

And in Tokyo, now they are also the ants on the hot pot, panicking.

For the first time since he ascended the throne, Emperor Meiji Tian of Japan had an unprecedented look of solemnity on his face. He scolded the two people in front of him and said: "Okuma Shigenobu and Ito Hirofumi-kun are now powerful. Incomparably, the Netherlands has publicly stated that it will impose sanctions on Japan. You two vowed at the beginning that the Netherlands would not have a big reaction to the alliance with the United Kingdom. Is the Netherlands' reaction now considered big?
The extremely powerful French Empire at that time was directly sanctioned by the Netherlands and its allies, reducing the country's total economic GDP by a quarter. This was even if other surrounding countries did not join the anti-France, especially Britain, Germany and Italy. As long as Portugal and other powerful countries have not cut off their economic ties with France, Japan is now at odds with the Qing Dynasty, and its relations with Korea are at a historical low. Not to mention the Southern Netherlands, we are almost breaking off diplomatic relations. Looking around, the United States Although it's okay, the journey is far away, and the water far away cannot save the fire nearby.

What's more, the United States has always been very afraid of the Netherlands. I'm worried that under the sanctions of the Netherlands, the United States may even favor the Netherlands. It's not unreasonable for us to follow the sanctions. Facing the most serious diplomatic incident since the Meiji Restoration in 1868, it is also This is the biggest economic crisis since I ascended the throne as the Emperor of Japan in 1867. The choice before us now will be the key to determining the success or failure of Japan in the future. Can you two tell me what you think? ? "

Although the question was very gentle, in fact, the tone and expression were more like a dissatisfied questioning?

Emperor Meiji was really annoyed and scared this time. After all, according to his expectations, Japan should sit back and watch the fight between Europe and America, secretly learn Western technology, make friends with all Western countries, and then sit back and win over Western countries. To obtain the benefits of fishermen, this is the Japanese development model established by the Emperor Meiji and his three early Meiji Restoration swordsmen Saigo Takamori, Kido Takayoshi and Taitai Polytsuchi. 'But now it's better. With the death of those three people, although the two guys in front of them have inherited the status of those three people, they do things in completely different ways.

This made Emperor Meiji feel that the management of the country seemed to be out of his control, making him feel panicked.

Japanese Prime Minister Okuma Shigenobu and Foreign Minister Ito Hirobumi were also very helpless at this time.

They are both one of the most powerful people in Japan. They are actually political enemies because they are the leaders of the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party of Japan respectively.

In the 13th year of the Meiji Emperor's reign (1880), due to the deaths of Sanseigo Takamori, Kido Takayoshi, and Tadashi Polymichi in the Meiji period, the most powerful figures in the political world were undoubtedly Ito Hirobumi and Okuma Shigenobu. In this year, the Satsuma Nagasu clique bureaucrats and imperial ministers in the Ito-Hirubumi secret coalition government launched the Meiji 13 coup to exclude Okuma Shigenobu, a tough political opponent. From then on, Ito Hirobumi became Japan's leader. A top figure in politics.Although Japan has carried out various reforms last year and started to embark on the path of capitalism, in terms of foreign relations, the unequal treaties signed in the past still exist and have become a way to suppress Japan's independence and independence. serious threats and obstacles that constrain its development.

The European and American powers refused to amend the unequal treaty on the grounds that Japan's laws were incomplete.

So after Ito Hirobumi came to power last year and became the Prime Minister of Japan, Itama Taisuke, Okuma Shigenobu and others successively organized the Liberal Party and the Reform Party, and launched a massive liberal and democratic movement. The slogan they put forward was to go too far. and the establishment of a constitution.

In order to ease domestic conflicts, strengthen the emperor's rule, and negotiate with European and American powers in the name of sound laws, and strive for national independence, establishing a constitutional government has become an urgent task. The person specifically responsible for the ideal preparation is Itou Hirobumi. He submitted a proposal to the government, pointing out that constitutionalism has become a world trend and that we must follow the world trend, proceed step by step, and formulate a constitution in accordance with the government's intentions.

In February, the Meiji government's Ito Hirobumi rushed to Europe to inspect constitutionalism. Through his observations, he compared the constitutions of the four countries of Britain, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, and believed that "although the king has 2% of the power to rule from the throne" in the British constitution, it was "incompatible with our country's national system." "Although the German government adopts public deliberation, it has independent power. The monarch personally controls the legislative and administrative power. Without the permission of the monarch, no laws can be implemented." "It can be seen that the state is the monarch, and the monarch is the state."He highly admires the German Constitution and believes that it is in line with Japan's national conditions.

So after I-Tō Hirobumi returned to China, he began to implement a governance style that fully learned from the German Empire in the country.

Unfortunately, they encountered opposition from conservatives in the end, so at the end of 1880 (the 13th year of the Meiji Restoration), he stepped down less than one year after he came to power.
Okuma Shigenobu and his Reform Party, in conjunction with the Liberal Party supported by Itashira, successfully came to power.

Itachi retired to become the Speaker of the Japanese Parliament, and Okuma Shigenobu became the Prime Minister of Japan starting in 1881. However, Ito Hirobumi became Okuma Shigenobu's Foreign Minister.This is a balancing act of Emperor Meiji of Japan. Hirofumi Ito used it to restrain Shigenobu Okuma. The previous Takamori Saigo, Takayoshi Kido and Polymichi too were just representatives of the three forces.

Checks and balances are important.

Therefore, Ito Hirobumi, the foreign minister, and Okuma Shigenobu, the prime minister, actually had different positions from the beginning. It was just out of balance that they both pretended to be very kind.

In fact, in my heart I want to put him to death.

Okuma Shigenobu then looked at I-to Hirobumi: "Ito-kun, in terms of diplomacy, we have always developed foreign relations under your personal guidance. I don't know how you can deal with the biggest concern in Japan in the face of His Majesty the Emperor's concerns. What about the crisis?”

(End of this chapter)