The Kazoku

After the Meiji Restoration, the political power of samurai, daimyo, and other noble classes was removed. However this was not necessarily a permanent change as the privileges of these lineages became merely reorganized. Imperial court nobility and former members of the shogunate and its government sought to reclaim or hold on to their prestige and a new class of aristocracy was formed. This group collectively called the kazoku had their own house of the Imperial Diet formed called the House of Peers. This house is composed purely of these members of nobility to provide balance to the populist whims of day to day politics in the house of representatives, not unlike the British house of lords. Members or the kazoku find themselves with ample opportunities for higher education, and high level government and military positions. For this reason it is not uncommon for substantial numbers of high ranking officers in the army and navy, and prestigious political offices to be occupied by those with samurai lineage.