HOJO YASUTOKI

born 1183, Kamakura, Japan died July 14, 1242, Kamakura regent whose administrative innovations in the shogunate, or military dictatorship, were responsible for institutionalizing that office as the major ruling body in Japan until 1868 and for stabilizing Hojo rule of Japan for almost a century. The office of shogun originated with Minamoto Yoritomo in 1185, but after his death in 1199 Yasutoki's grandfather, Hojo Tokimasa, and father, Hojo Yoshitoki, took over the regency and transferred the power of the shogunate to the Hojo family. In 1221 the Emperor, whom Yoritomo had permitted to remain in office in a symbolic position, launched a revolt against the Hojo family. Given command of the Shogun's forces, Yasutoki quickly crushed the rebels and established military headquarters near the Emperor's residence at Kyoto to ensure Hojo dominance over the Imperial court. The power of the shogunate was further increased by confiscating the estates of the court aristocracy and distributing them among loyal Hojo retainers. Yoshitoki died in 1224, and Yasutoki succeeded to the regency. Forgoing personal power, he wisely worked to create institutions to ensure efficient administration. To this end, he allowed his uncle to assume the post of rensho, or co-signer, thus establishing the precedent of shared responsibility between the two leading Hojos. In 1225 he extended shared responsibility by establishing a Council of State (Hyojoshu), an advisory body of leading warriors and administrators of the state. Yasutoki further established his authority when, in 1226, he dealt harshly with an uprising staged by warrior monks who, by their claims to spiritual authority as well as to military power, had harassed Japanese governments for several centuries. In 1232 Yasutoki issued the Joei Shikimoku, a law code that defined the function of the various officials, established terms for inheritance and succession, set up a new land system, and regulated standards to ensure fair trials.