Satsuma Rebellion breaks out against the Meiji government

Background. Satsuma had been influential in the Meiji Restoration, but dissatisfaction grew as reforms rendered samurai status obsolete. Policies such as the conscription of commoners, the commutation of stipends, and the ban on swords struck at samurai identity. Saigō resigned from government posts in 1873 and returned to Kagoshima, becoming a rallying point for disaffected samurai who felt marginalized by the new regime.

Outbreak. Tensions escalated throughout 1876, with Satsuma effectively seceding from the central government by year's end. In December 1876, the government sent police officer Nakahara Hisao to investigate unrest. Rumors of assassination plots, fueled by a confession, ignited the rebellion. The crisis peaked in late January 1877 when the government attempted to remove weapons from the Kagoshima arsenal, provoking open conflict.

Course. The Satsuma army, numbering around 12,000 men, began its northward march in February 1877. The Imperial Army, built on conscripts, proved superior in battle. At Tabaruzaka, samurai forces faced the 9th Infantry Brigade. Ultimately, Saigō's remaining samurai were pushed back to Kagoshima, where they were outnumbered 60-to-1 at the Battle of Shiroyama, leading to the rebellion's decisive crushing.

Aftermath. Saigō died in battle on 24 September 1877, marking the end of the last major armed uprising against the Meiji government. The rebellion solidified the authority of the centralized state and effectively ended the samurai class. The costs of pacifying the former samurai led to financial strain for the government, forcing the sale of state-owned enterprises.