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The Five Articles of the Charter Oath

By this oath, we set up as our aim the establishment of the national wealth on a broad basis and the framing of a constitution and laws.

1. Deliberative assemblies shall be widely established and all matters decided by open discussion.
2. All classes, high and low, shall be united in vigorously carrying out the administration of affairs of state.
3. The common people, no less than the civil and military officials, shall all be allowed to pursue their own calling so that there may be no discontent.
4. Evil customs of the past shall be broken off and everything based upon the just laws of Nature.
5. Knowledge shall be sought throughout the world so as to strengthen the foundation of imperial rule.

—W.W. McLaren. (1979). Japanese Government Documents. Bethesda, MD: University Publications of America, p. 8, quoted in William De Bary, Carol Gluck, and Arthur Tiedemann (eds.) (2005) [1958]. Sources of Japanese Tradition, Vol. II: 1600 to 2000 (2nd edition).  New York: Columbia, p. 672, quoted in Charter Oath, Wikipedia.org, retrieved on August 24, 2009.

Also Known As (AKA)

The Five Charter Oath, Five-Article Oath, Charter Oath in Five Article

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