The Evolution Of The Christian Policy Of The Government Of Japan In The Early Meiji Peirod (1868~1873)

In the early days of its reign, the Meiji government promulgated a series of policies onreligion, of which the two most noticeable policies were the implementation of Polity ofCaesaropapism and Shinto being made Japan’s state religion. Yet, Japan’s previous statereligion----Buddhism suffered from a heavy blow in the movement of Haibutsu kishaku.Different from the transformation of the status of the above two religions, the Meijigovernment did not have the slightest change in its policy on Christianity following the policyof prohibition against Christianity under the reign of the shogunate. Soon after the Meijigovernment issued the decree of prohibition, the Christianity issues rooted in the history ofBakumatsu were soon provoked by the exile of Christians in Uragami. The Meiji governmentresolutely implemented the policy of repression in dealing with Christians in Uragami andexiled them twice. Especially for the second time the scale of exile reached more than3,000people in Urakami. There came persistent and strong protests from European and Americancountries. Facing these, the Meiji government, which adopted friendly foreign policies,insisted on prohibition against Christianity and punishment of Christians. This was theinevitable decision the heads of government made who had viewed Christianity as a heresyand Shinto state religion under the circumstances when people who advocated banishment offoreigners became an unstable force in contemporary Japan. As a result of the ongoingprotests from European and American countries, gradually the Meiji government started todeal with Christians with more tolerance and the policy of prohibition against Christianitybegan to be loosened. In the4th year of the Meiji, the centralization of the Meiji governmentwas strengthened with the successful repression of the anti-government movement, theabolishment of dependent states and the establishment of counties. Also, the process of Shintobeing made the state religion of Japan was stuck by the demotion of the officer and theremoval of the institution responsible for sacrificial practices, and the envoy responsible forpropaganda of religion being replaced by the officer in charge of education and enlightenment.Under such circumstances the handling of the Imari Event and the release of Christiansmarked the beginning of the conversion of the Meiji government’s policy on Christianity. Thelaunch of Iwakura Learning Mission deepened the Meiji government’s understanding of thegreat impact brought by Christian issues on diplomacy. Out of concern for the foreign policies,the Meiji government realized that a change in its policy on Christianity was inevitable.Finally, in the6th year of the Meiji, taking envoys’ suggestions as an opportunity thegovernment dismantled the decree of prohibition against Christianity. On the surface Japanlifted the ban on Christianity.