Question

what did the meiji reformers want to retain, despite their quest for modernization?

Answer 1

An emperor

The emperor represented tradition and leadership of the Shinto religion native to Japan.

Despite many westernization efforts, the Meiji reformers wanted to maintain the tradition of an emperor though making few decisions retained some of their culture while transitioning to a modern, "western" state.

Answer 2

Despite their quest for modernization, the meji reformers wanted to retain their traditional values.

Emperor Meiji was the 122nd Emperor of Japan who reigned from 3 February 1867 until he passed away on 30 July 1912. He ruled over the Meiji period, a time of quick change in which the Empire of Japan rapidly shifted from an isolationist feudal state to an industrialized world power.

The Meiji Restoration constituted an event that restored practical imperial rule to the Empire of Japan in 1868.