Charter Oath

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The Charter Oath (五ヶ條ノ御誓文, Gokajō no Goseimon; Shinjitai: 五箇条の御誓文; more literally, the Oath in Five Articles) was promulgated on 6 April 1868 in Kyoto Imperial Palace. The Oath outlined the main aims and the course of action to be followed during Emperor Meiji's reign, setting the legal stage for Japan's modernization. This also set up a process of urbanization as people of all classes were free to move jobs, so many people moved to the city for better work prospects. It remained influential, though less for governing than inspiring, throughout the Meiji era and into the twentieth century, and it can be considered the first constitution of modern Japan.

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