Who was subject to military service in Meiji Japan?

In Meiji Japan, military service was generally mandatory for all male citizens. The Meiji government established the conscription law in 1873, shortly after the Meiji Restoration, which marked the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and the beginning of the modernization of Japan. This law required that all male Japanese citizens, regardless of social class, were eligible for conscription upon reaching the age of 20. They were required to serve in the military for three years, with an additional four years in the reserves.

Prior to the Meiji Restoration, military service in Japan was largely restricted to the samurai class; however, the new conscription system was part of broader efforts to create a modern, national army. The introduction of universal conscription was significant in promoting a sense of national unity and duty among Japanese citizens of all classes, as it removed the military monopoly of the samurai class and integrated the military service throughout society.