Ministry of the Treasury

This article is about the Ministry of the Treasury before 1889. For other uses, see Ministry of Finance (Japan).

Pre-modern Japan

This article is part of the series: Daijō-kan Council of State Chancellor or Chief Minister (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 Ministry of the Center (Nakatsukasa-shō) Ministry of Civil Services (Shikibu-shō) Ministry of Ceremonies (Jibu-shō) Ministry of Taxation (Minbu-shō) Ministry of the Military (Hyōbu-shō) Ministry of Justice (Gyōbu-shō) Ministry of the Treasury (Ōkura-shō) Ministry of the Imperial Household (Kunai-shō) _____________________ Meiji government Chancellor (Daijō daijin) Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan (Naidaijin) _____________________ Postwar Shōwa period Imperial Household Agency (Kunaichō)

The Ministry of the Treasury (大蔵省, Ōkura-shō^?) was a division of the eighth century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto,^[1] instituted in the Asuka period and formalized during the Heian period. The Ministry was replaced in the Meiji period.

Overview

The nature of the ministry was modified in response to changing times. The ambit of the Ministry's activities encompasses, for example:

• administration of public accounts^[2]
• oversight of tax collections and of offerings to the Emperor^[2]
• regulation of weights and measures^[2]
• control of the functuations in prices of commodities^[2]
• regulation and oversight of the coinage of gold, silver, copper, and iron money^[2]
• maintenance of the lists of artisans engaged in coinage-related activities^[2]
• regulation of activities in the manufacture of lacquer ware, weaving, and other kinds of industries^[2]

History

The duties, responsibilities and focus of the ministry evolved over time. It was established as part of the Taika Reforms and Ritsuryō laws.^[3] Since 1885, Ōkura-shō has been construed in reference to the Ministry of Finance, also called the Ōkura no Tsukasa.^[4]

Hierarchy

The court included a ministry dealing with military affairs.^[3]

Amongst the significant daijō-kan officials serving in this ministry structure were:

• Chief administrator of the ministry of the treasury (大蔵卿, Ōkura-kyō^?). This official supervises the receipt of tributes from the provinces and imposes tribute on others.^[5]
• Chief administrator of the ministry of the treasury (大蔵大輔, Ōkura-taifu^?)^[5]
• First assistant to the chief of the ministry of the treasury (大蔵少輔, Ōkura-shō^?)^[5]
• Second assistant to the chief of the ministry of the treasury (大蔵丞, Ōkura-no-jō^?), two positions^[5]
• Alternate assistant to the chief of the ministry of the treasury (大蔵録, Ōkura-no-sakan^?), two positions^[5]
• Collector of taxation from manufactureres and dyers (織部正,, Oribe-no-kami^?)^[5]
• Assistant collector of taxation from manufactureres and dyers (織部佑, Oribe-no-jō^?)^[5]
• Alternate assistant collector of taxation from manufactureres and dyers (織部令史, Oribe-no-sakan^?)^[5]

See also

• Daijō-kan
• Ministry of Finance (Japan)

Notes

1. ^ Kawakami, Karl Kiyoshi. (1903). The Political Ideas of the Modern Japan, pp. 36-38. at Google Books
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Kawakami, p. 38 n2, at Google Books citing Ito Hirobumi, Commentaries on the Japanese Constitution, p. 87 (1889).
3. ^ ^{a b} Ministry of the Treasury, Sheffield.
4. ^ Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric et al. (2005). "Ōkura-shō" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 749. at Google Books
5. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, p. 432. at Google Books

References

• Kawakami, Karl Kiyoshi. (1903). The Political Ideas of the Modern Japan. Iowa City, Iowa: University of Iowa Press. OCLC 466275784. Internet Archive, full text
• Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 10-ISBN 0-674-01753-6; 13-ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 48943301
• Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Nihon Odai Ichiran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon. Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691