著者

本間 靖夫

出版者

日本大学

雑誌

日本大学経済学部経済科学研究所紀要 (ISSN:03859983)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.10, pp.43-67, 1986-03-20

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This is a study based on four representative journals of money and banking published during the second decade of the Meiji era (1877-1887), and follows two themes. These two themes are: 1. Basic research on the material concerning the journals of money and banking in the second decade of the Meiji era (1877-1887); in other words, a bibliographical study on the early days of Japanese journals of money and banking and 2. A Study of the points in dispute which appeared in the journals of money and banking with regard to the introduction of the banking system into Japan, and the thought in money and banking which was behind it. The journals taken up as objects of study are: Ginko Zasshi (edited and published by Commercial Banks Division, Ministry of Finance, first published in December, the 10th year of Meiji, 1877), Rizai Shimpo (edited and published by the Takuzen-Kai, the predecessor of the Tokyo Bankers Assn., Inc., first published in May, the 11th year of Meiji, 1878), Tokyo Keizai Zasshi (edited by Ukichi Taguchi, published by Keizai Zasshi Sha, first published in January, the 12th year of Meiji, 1879), and Ginko Tsushin Roku (edited and published by Tokyo Ginko Shukai Jo, the descendant of the Takuzen-Kai, first published in December, the 18th year of Meiji, 1885). Study of such journals has a unique significance and role in the diffusion of thought in money and banking as well as in the formation of public opinion. On the other hand, there has not been enough systematic study on Japanese journals of money and banking, with only some prominent ones being taken up and not considered in entirety. Moreover, one can not say that the study on the history of thought in money and banking itself has been sufficiently made. Therefore, considering the above-mentioned points, the present paper is aimed at being an introduction to the study on the theory of money and banking and on the development of a system of money and banking in Japan. The findings of the analysis may be summarized as follows: 1. The development process of journals of money and banking may be divided into the following seven periods; (1)the 10th-11th of Meiji (1877-1878), (2)the 12th-19th of Meiji (1879-1886), (3)the 20th-27th of Meiji (1887-1894), (4)the 28th-38th of Meiji (1895-1905), (5)the 39th-45th of Meiji (1906-1912), (6)the Taisho period (1912-1926) and (7)Showa period-until the 20th of Showa (1945). 2. Of these above, this paper deals with periods (1) and (2). Period (1) corresponds to the time when the government published a journal for educating banking circles (Ginko Zasshi), and the Bankers Association published a journal for educating fellow bankers (Rizai Shimpo), on the occasion of the introduction of banking system into Japan from abroad. 3. Period (2) is the time when criticism against the early banking system began and the target of enlightenment was shifted to the general public, as in the case of Tokyo Keizai Zasshi. Ginko Tsushin Roku, a journal for the exchange of information among bankers was published as the bulletin of the Bankers Association as well. 4. It was after period (6) that a large number of reviews of money and banking were published. Until that time, the two journals listed under period (2) had played important roles as representative journals of money and banking. 5. Knowledge of banking imparted during periods (1) and (2) had its source in the thought of banking among English bankers and scholars such as A. Shand, A. Crump, H. D. Macleod and W. Badgehot. Likewise, Tokyo Keizai Zasshi was modeled after the Economist of London. As "a foreigner in Government employ", A. Shand introduced the bank book-keeping system into Japan and taught the concept of English type commercial bank management, or sound banking, to Japanese bankers. 6. In the second decade of the Meiji era, money and banking theory was introduced into Japan, based on a liberal economy developed on the theory of the classical school of England. However, it was more influenced by H. D. Macleod than by the mainstream of the classical school of England at that time, the Manchester School, to which D. Ricard, J. S. Mill and H. Fawcett, etc. belonged.