Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan

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The Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan (内大臣 Naidaijin?) was an administrative post not of cabinet rank in the government of the Empire of Japan. The Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal was responsible for keeping the Imperial Seal of Japan.

The office of Naidaijin (literally "Inner Minister") was an ancient title predating the Taihō Code of 701. Fujiwara no Kamatari was the first person appointed to the post in 669. After the appointment of Fujiwara no Michitaka in 989, the office became permanently established, ranking just below that of Udaijin (Minister of the Right) and Sadaijin (Minister of the Left).

The modern office was established in 1885, after the Meiji government established the cabinet; however, the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal was separate from the cabinet, and acted as a direct advisor to the Emperor. He was also responsible for the administration of imperial documents such as rescripts and edicts. Petitions to the emperor and the court were also handled by the Lord Keeper's office, as well as the responses.

The office of the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal was identical with the old Naidaijin only in name.[1]

In 1907, the post was expanded to become the Naidaijin-fu (Office of the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal) with a chief secretary, three secretaries and six assistants in order to handle the increased workload with the passing of the genrō.

After the start of Emperor Showa's reign in 1925, the office and position of the Lord Privy Seal became increasingly important, at the expense of the office of the prime minister. Political infighting within the Diet of Japan further boosted the power of the Lord Privy Seal. The Lord Privy Seal was able to strictly control who was allowed to have an audience with the emperor, as well as the flow of information. This made the final Lord Privy Seal Marquis Kido Kōichi in effect even more powerful than the prime minister.

After World War II, the Office of the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal was officially abolished on 24 November 1945.[2]. However, the function itself was abolished with the promulgation of the new constitution in November 1946. Thus, former Grand chambellan Hisanori Fujita was the last Lord Keeper. [3]

Name Dates as Lord Keeper
Sanjō Sanetomi 22 December 1885 – 18 February 1891
Tokudaiji Sanetsune 21 February 1891 – 12 August 1912
Katsura Tarō 21 August 1912 – 21 December 1912
HIH Prince Fushimi Sadanaru 21 December 1912 – 13 January 1915
Ōyama Iwao 23 April 1915 – 10 December 1916
Matsukata Masayoshi 2 May 1917 – 18 September 1922
Hirata Tōsuke 19 September 1922 – 30 May 1925
Hamao Arata 30 March 1925 – 30 March 1925
Makino Nobuaki 30 March 1925 – 26 February 1935
Saitō Makoto 26 February 1935 – 26 February 1936
Ichiki Kitokurō 6 March 1936-6 March 1936
Yuasa Kurahei 6 March 1936 – 1 June 1940
Kōichi Kido 1 June 1940 – 24 November 1945
Hisanori Fujita 25 November 1945 - 2 November 1946

  1. ^ http://www.unterstein.net/or/docs/JapanPeers.pdf
  2. ^ http://www.ndl.go.jp/constitution/e/etc/glossary.html National Diet Library | Office of the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal
  3. ^ John Dower, Embracing defeat, 1999, p.320
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