| Premodern Japan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Daijō-daijin | |
| Minister of the Left | Sadaijin |
| Minister of the Right | Udaijin |
| Minister of the Center | Naidaijin |
| Major Counselor | Dainagon |
| Middle Counselor | Chūnagon |
| Minor Counselor | Shōnagon |
| Eight Ministries | |
| Center | Nakatsukasa-shō |
| Ceremonial | Shikibu-shō |
| Civil Administration | Jibu-shō |
| Popular Affairs | Minbu-shō |
| War | Hyōbu-shō |
| Justice | Gyōbu-shō |
| Treasury | Ōkura-shō |
| Imperial Household | Kunai-shō |
Minister of the Right[1] (右大臣,Udaijin) was a government position inJapan during theAsuka toMeiji era. The position was consolidated in theTaihō Code of 701. TheAsuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of theUdaijin in the context of a central administrative body called theDaijō-kan (Council of State). This early Daijō-kan was composed of the three ministers—theDaijō-daijin (Chancellor), theSadaijin (Minister of the Left) and theUdaijin.[2] TheUdaijin was the Junior Minister of State, overseeing all branches of theDaijō-kan. He would be the deputy of theSadaijin.[3]
From theKamakura period (1185–1333), when the warrior class came to power in Japan, this imperial court position became an honorary position with no real authority.Oda Nobunaga, who was a powerfuldaimyo in theAzuchi-Momoyama period, was a daimyo who held this imperial court position. This was the first time sinceMinamoto no Sanetomo in 1218 that a member of the warrior class had been appointedUdaijin. Previously, the only warrior class members appointed to higher positions thanUdaijin wereTaira no Kiyomori andAshikaga Yoshimitsu asDaijō-daijin, andAshikaga Yoshinori andAshikaga Yoshimasa asSadaijin. The warrior class was able to use the high imperial court positions ofDaijō-daijin,Sadaijin, andUdaijin, which had originally belonged to the nobility, as a means of establishing their own authority.[4][5][6]