At first, the Meiji government intended to keep citizens away from the influence of Christianity and to educate them on the new systems made by the new government renewed after the Meiji Restoration with authority and foundations of the Japanese traditional religion; however, the separation of religion and politics and the freedom of religion were essential policies in order to establish a modernized nation, and the cancellation of a ban on Christianity was indispensable to maintain the diplomatic relationships with Western countries.
政府は当初、伝統宗教の権威と地盤を以ってキリスト教防御と維新後の新体制を国民に教導する考えであったが、近代国家の樹立の為には政教分離と信教の自由を国家の基本方針として盛り込むことは避けられず、また西洋諸国との外交関係に於いてキリスト教の禁制解除は不可欠となった。