On January 3, 1868, he issued the Declaration of Restoration of Imperial Rule and also issued an order to Yoshinobu TOKUGAWA to resign his government post, and return his land to the Emperor, marking the first step toward realization of an emperor-ruled country.
慶応3年12月9日（1868年1月3日）には王政復古(日本)の大号令と徳川慶喜への辞官納地発令を実現し、天皇親政実現へのスタートを切った。