text: The Meiji period (Japanese: 明治時代, Meiji-jidai) denotes the 45-year reign of the Meiji Emperor, running from 8 September 1868 (in the Gregorian calendar, 23 October 1868) to 30 July 1912. During this time, Japan started its modernization and rose to world power status.\n\nAfter the death of the Meiji Emperor in 1912, the Taisho Emperor took the throne, thus beginning the Taisho Period.