Since Emperor Meiji was respected as a sovereign, as for non western countries, he was highly regarded overseas, more than he was in Japan, by the people such as Haile SelassieⅠin Ethiopia, Alfredo Stroessner in Paraguay, Saddam Husain in Iraq.
非西欧諸国の中で近代化に成功した日本の君主ということで、海外での評価は日本国内以上に高く、エチオピアのハイレ・セラシエ1世やパラグアイのアルフレド・ストロエスネル、イラクのサダム・フセインなど、明治天皇を尊敬する人は多い。