The new government was composed of: 

1.  Sosai ("Supreme Administrator").  He was assisted by Fuku, or Vice-Sosai.  The Sosai resembled the British Premier, was the head of the chief council of the government.

2.  Gijio, or “Supreme Council,” whose function was to discuss all questions and suggest the method of their settlement to the Sosai.  It was composed of ten members, five of whom were selected from the list of Kuges and five from the great Daimios.

3.  Sanyo, or “Associate Council.”  They were subordinate officers, and were selected from the Daimios as well as from the retainers.  This council finally came to have great influence, and ultimately transformed itself into the present cabinet.

The government was divided into eight departments: 

1.  The Sosai Department.  This soon changed into Dai-jo-Kuan.

2.  Jingi-Jimu-Kioku, or Department of the Shinto Religion.  This department had charge of the Shinto temples, priests, and festivals.

3.  Naikoku-Jimu-Kioku, or Department of Home Affairs.  This department had charge of the capital and the five home provinces, of land and water transport in all the provinces, of post-towns and post-roads, of barriers and fairs, and of the governors of castles, towns, ports, etc.

4.  Guaikoku-Jimu-Kioku, or Department of Foreign Affairs.  This department had charge of foreign relations, treaties, trade, recovery of lands, and sustenance of the people.

5.  Gumbu-Jimu-Kioku, or War Department.  This department had charge of the naval and military forces, drilling, protection of the Emperor, and military defences in general.

6.  Kuaikei-Jimu-Kioku, or Department of Finance.  This department had charge of the registers of houses and population, of tariff and taxes, money, corn, accounts, tribute, building and repairs, salaries, public storehouses, and internal trade.

7.  Keiho-Jimu-Kioku, or Judicial Department.  This department had charge of the censorate, of inquisitions, arrests, trials, and the penal laws in general.

8.  Seido-Jimu-Kioku, or Legislative Department.  This department had charge of the superintendence of offices, enactments, sumptuary regulations, appointments, and all other laws and regulations,

“It is easy to destroy, but difficult to construct,” is an old adage of statesmen.  The truth of this utterance was soon realized by the leaders of the new government.

The first thing which the new government had to settle was its attitude toward foreign nations.  The leaders of the government who had once opposed with such vehemence, as we have seen, the foreign policy of the Tokugawa Shogun, now that he had been overthrown, urged the necessity of amicable relations with foreign powers in the following memorable memorial[5] to the Dai-jo-Kuan (Government): 

“The undersigned, servants of the Crown, respectfully believe that from ancient times decisions upon important questions concerning the welfare of the empire were arrived at after consideration of the actual political condition and its necessities, and that thus results were obtained, not of mere temporary brilliancy, but which bore good fruits in all time....