I, the Emperor, think that my ancestors and religion founded my nation avery long time ago, with its development a profound and steady morality wasestablished. The fact that my subjects show their loyalty to me and showfilial love to their parents in unison with the hearts of several millionsof my subjects, which accumulates virtue generation after generation isindeed a pride of my nation, and is a profound and basic idea of education.

You, my subjects form full personalities by showing filial love to yourparents, by making good terms with your brothers and sisters, by beingintimate with your friends, by making couples who love each other, bytrusting your friends, by reflecting upon yourselves, by conveying a spiritof philanthropy to other people and by studying to acquire knowledge andwisdom.

Thus, please obey always the constitution and other laws of my nation inyour profession in order to spread the common good in my nation. If anemergency may happen, please do your best for my nation in order to supportthe eternal fate and future of my nation. In this way, you are my good andfaithful subjects, and you come to appreciate good social customs inheritedfrom your ancestors. The way of doing this is a good lesson inherited frommy ancestors and religion which you subjects should observe well togetherwith your offspring.

These ideas hold true for both the present and the past, and may bepropagated in this nation as well as in the other countries. I would like tounderstand all of this with you, my subjects, and hope sincerely that allthe mentioned virtues will be carried out in harmony by all of you subjects.

October 30, 1890 (23rd year of Meiji Era)

Signed by the Emperor

(Translated by Shizuya Sato)