Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce Survey Documents

Abstract

These are reports of surveys conducted by Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce in Meiji 10s～20s.

“Noji Chosa” “Shogyo Shi” “Suisan Chosa” in Hitotsubashi University Library are likely to be copies of reports edited by Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce in Meiji 10s～20s. Therefore, these documents are called “Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce Survey Documents.”

“Noji Chosa” is a report of survey conducted in each prefecture of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu from Meiji 23^rd (1890) to 26^th (1893). Documents of 44 Prefectures (except Hokkaido, Okinawa and Aichi) were created but the Great Kanto Earthquake in Taisho 12^th (1923) destroyed all of them. Hitotsubashi University Library has copies of these documents including reports of 42 prefectures (except three prefectures above and Wakayaka, Kagoshima). The Library lacks reports of Wakayama and Kagoshima probably due to late submission. Taking it into account that reports of 6 prefectures: Kumamoto, Kochi, Kagawa, Wakayama, Kagoshima, and Aichi were not completed yet in January Meiji 25^th (1892) and that of Aichi was not finished in June Meiji 26^th (1893), copies in the Library seem to be created between January Meiji 25^th and Jun Meiji 26^th. During that time, Prof. Morishima Shutaro of the Higher Commercial School was responsible for commerce and industry survey in April Meiji 25^th. He may involve in the organization of “Noji-Chousa”.

“Shogyo Shi” seems to be a copy of documents of Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce because the editor Todoroki Tamotsu and the supervisor Ko Eiichi (there name were on the beginning of vol.2) were working at Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce General Affairs Department Record section. It is missing the reports of Yamanashi, Kyoto, Nara, Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, Kochi, and Okinawa. According to “Noshomu-sho Tosho Shurui Betsu Mokuroku Vol. 1 Japanese Literature Part” (Published in Meiji 34^th), the total amount of “Shogyo Shi” is 45; “Shogyo Shi” would be copies the same as “Noji Chosa.”

On the contrary, “Suisan Chosa Sho” is not listed on “Noshomu-sho Tosho Shurui Betsu Mokuroku Vol.1 Japanese Literature Part.” However, the name of “President Oku” (the first Noshomu-sho Suisan Department President Oku Seisuke) and “Kawarada”(a member of Suisan Department Kawarada Moriyoshi) are in the vol2, thus it is categorized as documents of survey by Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce. “Suisan Chosa Sho” appears to be related documents of “Nihon Suisan Shi” which began to be edited in Meiji 19^th (1886) when Mr. Oku was the president.

Catalog and Images

Related Information

※These documents were listed on the Digital Archive of Modern Japanese Economic History and Business History.

Books and Articles

『日本水産製品誌』農商務省水産局、1913～1916年
『明治中期産業運動資料　第1集　農事調査』第1～18巻、日本経済評論社、1979～1980年
土屋喬雄『明治前期経済史研究』第1巻、日本評論社、1944年
石山昭次郎「明治21年府県「農事調査」について : 書誌学的考察を中心として」『地方史研究』11-6、1961年
大橋博「明治21年「農事調査」をめぐる二、三の問題」『農業総合研究』 18-2、1964年
祖田修『前田正名』吉川弘文館、1973年

Location

The Library Rare material room 【貴X:170, 175, 178】