Democratic Institutions in Early Meiji Japan: Westerners’ perceptions and views

Universally speaking, changes are natural and inevitable. Nevertheless, often, changes are not always smooth or without glitches. This paper intends to revisit the views and perceptions of Western powers particularly those of representatives of Britain and the United States in Japan concerning the foundation of democratic institutions such as parliamentary government and deliberative assemblies during the Meiji era. Of many Western powers in the mid-19th century Japan, Britain and the United States stood out as they assumed substantial commercial and strategic interests, for which reason the views of their diplomats are worthy of looking into especially amidst attempts by Japan to transform itself after Western model. The paper employs a method of historical analysis, scrutinising the views and perceptions of Western diplomats and officials stationed in Japan between the 1870s and 1890s, by going through official correspondences and diplomatic papers on a series of structural and administrative reforms undertaken by the Meiji Government. The finding demonstrates that Western representatives and officials based in Japan displayed different attitudes toward such reform measures as some held positive views while others the other way around, hence rendering the topic viable for further assessment. Not only were the views influenced by their background being Westerners and foreigners, but also by the various socio-economic and political developments that took place in Meiji Japan, and their personal encounters with Japanese statesmen.