<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Meiji" id="mwxw" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Emperor Meiji">Emperor Meiji</a> orders the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abolition_of_the_han_system" id="mwyA" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Abolition of the han system">abolition of the han system</a> and the establishment of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prefectures_of_Japan" id="mwyQ" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Prefectures of Japan">prefectures</a> as local centers of administration. (Traditional <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_calendar" id="mwyg" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Japanese calendar">Japanese date</a>: July 14, 1871).