Which German political model influenced the Meiji Constitution?

The Meiji Constitution was heavily influenced by the political model of the German Empire, specifically the system crafted by Otto von Bismarck.1

Itō Hirobumi, who led the commission responsible for drafting the constitution, traveled to Europe to study Western models. He concluded that the German system offered an effective balance between maintaining imperial power and implementing modern constitutional forms, allowing for modernization without sacrificing executive control.12

Key features adopted from this model included:
* Executive Authority: The emperor was considered sacred and inviolable, holding supreme command over the military and the power to dissolve the lower house.312
* Institutional Safeguards: A Privy Council was established to safeguard the constitution, and a European-style peerage was created to balance the popularly elected lower house.12
* Budgetary Provisions: Similar to the Prussian system, the constitution stipulated that if the Diet failed to approve a budget, the previous year's budget would remain in effect.12

German constitutional scholar Hermann Roesler also assisted Itō and his commission during the drafting process.2