AOKI Shuzo. From "Aoki Nojo to Aoki Shuzo Nasu Bettei"

In the winter of 1872 (Meiji 5), KIDO Takayoshi, a member of the Iwakura Mission touring Europe, ordered AOKI Shuzo, then residing in Germany, to draw up a draft constitution. AOKI, who had studied under the German constitutional scholar Rudolf von GNEIST, wrote a draft constitution entitled Dai Nippon Seiki, along with a document listing the reasons. He made reference to the Prussian constitution while also taking Japan's state of affairs into consideration.

The next year, in July 1873 (Meiji 6), KIDO presented the government with his Kenpo Seitei no Kengensho (Proposal for the Formulation of a Constitution), based on AOKI's list of reasons. The document was also reprinted in the 150th edition of Shinbun Zasshi, a newspaper in KIDO's orbit. The Teigo Dai Nippon Seiten is a revised version of AOKI's Dai Nippon Seiki, and presents several significant departures from the original, including alterations to the composition of the assembly so as to include largely regional officials, and the inclusion of a proposal to establish the Genroin (Chamber of Elders).