Under the Meiji Constitution, the capacity and power of the Emperor was used to be assisted by the Minister of State if there was no specific regulations, but it was not written in the Constitution, and traditionally as for the military orders (supreme command affairs related to the strategy and tactics) were assisted not by the Minister of State but by the supreme command staff (the Chief of the Army General Staff and the President of the Naval General Staff).
明治憲法下で天皇の権能は特に規定がなければ国務大臣が補弼することとなっていたが、それは憲法に明記されておらず、また、慣習的に軍令（作戦・用兵に関する統帥事務）については国務大臣ではなく、統帥部（陸軍：参謀総長。海軍：軍令部総長）が輔弼することとなっていた。