In accordance with the pro-Emperor principles, the Government rule of a state by the direct administration of the Emperor took effect but the political system underwent numerous changes before the Constitution of the Empire of Japan (the Meiji Constitution) was enacted.
尊皇思想に基づき、天皇は親政を行い人民を直接統治するとしたが、政治体制は大日本帝国憲法（明治憲法）が制定されるまで、様々に変化した。