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How did Emperor Meiji become connected to the political changes of 1868?

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The emperor Meiji — Meiji Restoration After the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate, the Meiji emperor became the formal head of a new imperial government under whose reign Japan was transformed from an isolated feudal society into a modern, industrialized global power.

Emperor Meiji’s connection to the political changes of 1868 was central to the transition from the Tokugawa shogunate to a centralized imperial government. Following his accession in 1867, the young emperor was guided by nobles who maintained close ties with leaders from the Chōshū and Satsuma domains, who sought to overthrow the shogunate and restore supreme executive authority to the throne.12

In January 1868, the restoration of imperial rule was formally proclaimed at the imperial palace in Kyoto. Shortly thereafter, on April 6, 1868, Emperor Meiji promulgated the Charter Oath, a foundational document that signaled the end of the feudal system and the beginning of Japan's modernization. This oath committed the government to public discussion, national unity, the abandonment of "evil customs of the past," and the pursuit of knowledge from throughout the world to strengthen the empire. By lending his name and authority to these reforms, the emperor became the symbolic and political figurehead for Japan’s transformation into a modern state.231