Sakamoto Ryoma's 8-Point Plan

1. Political power for the entire country returned to Imperial court and all decrees issued from there.

2. A bi-cameral Legislative House--Upper and Lower Branches--should be established and it should participate in making decisions pertaining to all governmental policies. All governmental policies should be decided on the basis of deliberations (koogi) openly arrived at.

3. Men of Ability/Talent from among the court nobles (kuge), the daimyo, and the people at large should be appointed as Councillors and receive appropriate offices and titles. Those sinecure positions of the past should be abolished.

4. In dealing with foreign countries, appropriate regulations should be newly established which would take into account broadly the deliberation openly arrived at.

5. Old laws and regulations should be scrutinized and a new great code to last forever should be promulgated.

6. The navy should be developed/expanded.

7. An Imperial Guard--not depenedent on bakufu or han--should be set up to defend the capital.

8. Laws should be established to equalize values of gold, silver and goods with that of foreign countries.