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How did the Imperial Guard help Meiji leaders abolish the feudal domains?

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Bronze statue of samurai Saigo Takamori standing with his dog on a stone pedestal in Ueno Park, Tokyo, with yellow autumn trees in the background. — Saigō Takamori Saigo Takamori, statue in Tokyo.

The creation of the Imperial Guard in 1871 was a pivotal development that enabled Meiji leaders to abolish the feudal domains (han). By providing the government with a reliable, centralized military force of approximately 10,000 troops for the first time, the leadership gained the necessary security to undertake the daring transition from fiefs to a system of prefectures.1

Under the command of Saigō Takamori, who also assumed joint responsibility for the program alongside Kido Takayoshi, the government successfully implemented the abolition of the domains. This transition proceeded smoothly, followed by the mandatory disbandment of all local han troops. By the end of 1871, this consolidation of power allowed the central government to effectively eliminate potential military opposition to its reforms.1