The Mikado of the title character as a disrespectful representation of the revered Meiji Emperor; Japanese theatre was prohibited from depicting the emperor on stage. Japanese Prince Komatsu Akihito, who saw an 1886 production in London, took no offence. When Prince Fushimi Sadanaru made a state visit in 1907, the British government banned performances of "The Mikado" from London for six weeks, fearing that the play might offend him – a manoeuvre that backfired when the prince complained that he had hoped to see "The Mikado" during his stay. A Japanese journalist covering the prince's stay attended a proscribed performance and confessed
The Mikado year in which a D'Oyly Carte company (or several of them) was not presenting it. "The Mikado" was revived again while "The Grand Duke" was in preparation. When it became clear that that opera was not a success, "The Mikado" was given at matinees, and the revival continued when "The Grand Duke" closed after just three months. In 1906–07, Helen Carte, the widow of Richard D'Oyly Carte, mounted a repertory season at the Savoy, but "The Mikado" was not performed, as it was thought that visiting Japanese royalty might be offended by it. However, it was included in Mrs. Carte's