In 1873 (Meiji 6), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a bill on the Korean issue. The content is Korea's [ disrespectful ] Was to take military action to correct.
This proposal is a kick-start, and the new government splits in half. [ Seikanron dispute ] Will start.
The controversy over Korea is said to have started from the disrespect of Korea, but what was the content of the disrespect?
Seikanron and the political change in the 6th year of the Meiji era
Relations between Japan and Korea have been broken since 1811 It was done. Therefore, in 1868 after the establishment of the new government, Tsushima Sou Through this, Korea is approached to conclude a treaty, but Korea, which had the Qing dynasty as its suzerain, refuses to do so.
Furthermore, the Japanese government dispatches high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage in direct negotiations, but the Korean side does not respond to this because it is a forcible request, and establishing diplomatic relations with Korea is one of the serious concerns for Japan. It was one.
In addition to this background, the Japan Exclusion Incident that occurred in Korea Takamori Saigo, Itagaki Taisuke, Shinpei Kudo who was in charge of the absence of the Iwakura Mission. Absent Government Is Seikanron at once I will lean to.
Absent government decided to take a hard-line stance against Korea Decided to send Saigo to Korea as an ambassador.
Iwakura Tomomi who received this news They returned to Japan temporarily and prioritized the resolution of domestic problems over military action against Korea. And work to prevent the theory of conquest. As a result, Seikanron with the participation of Sangi and others. And Okubo and other counselors Conflict will occur.
Dispatched to Korea that has already been decided by the Cabinet Was sent to the emperor by Tomomi Iwakura with his own opinion that the envoy to Korea was postponed. As a result, it was decided to postpone the Korean envoy.
When the Seikanron theory was rejected by the Miyanaka work of the Iwakura and Okubo groups, Saigo and other members of the Seikanron group who lost the controversy decided to go down all at once.
These events are political changes in the 6th year of the Meiji era * Is called.
* It is also called Seikanron political change.
After Saigo et al. Shimotsuke, Okubo established the Ministry of Home Affairs and will dictatorially solidify the government system as Lord of Home Affairs.
Where is the issue of Seikanron?
The theory of conquest of Korea has torn the new government, but the issue is simply conquest or internal rule . It wasn't just about that.
Okubo et al.'S internal rule did not oppose the Seikanron itself Isn't it still early now? It seems that he was preaching. First of all, I was thinking of establishing a centralized bureaucratic government to strengthen it, strengthening the military and police organizations, promoting industry and increasing national power, and then promoting to the continent.
In other words, the controversy over Korea was not a denial of conquest itself, but a dispute over its methodology.
But why did the coup d'etat before Saigo and his colleagues went to Shimotsuke?
Most of the Seikanrons who lost the controversy and left the government were characterized by the large number of military personnel.
Saigo and other Seikanrons were trying to some extent to acknowledge the demands of the complainers against being deprived of their privileges by modernization policies. The Seikanron theory advocated by the Seikanron, while the primary purpose is to invade Korea, at the same time gives the samurai a life by directing the dissatisfaction of the declining samurai to the foreign war without turning them into civil war. Aim to say It seems that there was also.
On the other hand, the internal rulers the basic policy is to promote the modernization policy even if the opposition of the complainers is suppressed . I was doing it. As a result, Saigo, who lost the dispute, stated that he would never be a member of the government, and never set foot in Tokyo.
Later, Saigo, who could not save the samurai, headed for the Satsuma Rebellion, the largest civil war in history.