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Ministry of Communications

逓信省 Teishin-shō
Agency overview
Formed	December 22, 1885 (1885-12-22)
Dissolved	April 1, 1949 (1949-04-01)
Superseding agencies	Ministry of Posts Ministry of Telecommunications
Jurisdiction	Japan
Headquarters	Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo, Japan
Parent agency	Government of Japan

TheMinistry of Communications (逓信省,Teishin-shō) was aCabinet-level ministry in theEmpire of Japan, operating apostal, telegraph and telephone service. Its modern successors include theMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications,Japan Post Holdings andNTT.

On December 22, 1885 the Ministry of Communications was established, combining the Bureau of Posts andPost Station Maintenance and Shipping Bureau formerly under theMinistry of Agriculture and Commerce with the Telegraph Bureau and Lighthouse Management Bureau formerly under theMinistry of Industry. On August 16, 1891, the ministry was also placed in charge of the nascent Japanese electric power industry. On July 21, 1892, the Railway Bureau was transferred to the Ministry of Communications from theHome Ministry and from November 10, 1893, the ministry was charged with the supervision of all land and water transportation businesses.

However, on December 5, 1908, the Railway Bureau was separated to become an independent bureau reporting directly to the Cabinet.

New Year card 1892

In April 1923, responsibility forcivil aviation supervision was transferred to the Ministry of Communications from theArmy Ministry. With the creation of theRailway Ministry in May 1928, supervision of all land transportation was removed from the Ministry of Communications. With the establishment in January 1938 of theMinistry of Health and Welfare, all matters pertaining to the postal insurance program were transferred to the new ministry, with the Ministry of Communications retaining control of the post offices and managing the postal system (including thePostal savings system. In December 1941, an external Maritime Affairs Council was established and took over the Lighthouse Bureau.

On November 1, 1943 the Ministry of Communications was merged with Railway Ministry to become theMinistry of Communications and Transport. Electrical production and aircraft manufacturing regulation was transferred to theMinister of Munitions. Posts, telephone and telegraph, post office bank and insurance came under the Communications Institute, where issues relating the transportation came under the Directorate General of Shipping.

In May 1945, the Communications Institute became the Board of Communications, reporting directly to the Cabinet, and the Ministry of Communications and Transport was renamed theMinistry of Transport.

After thesurrender of Japan, theAmerican occupation authorities briefly reestablished the Ministry of Communications on April 1, 1946; however it was in charge of only posts, telecommunications and the security of aerial navigation. The Ministry was formally abolished on April 1, 1949 and its responsibilities divided between the newMinistry of Postal Services andMinistry of Telecommunications.

• Beasley, W.G. (2000).The Rise of Modern Japan: Political, Economic, and Social Change since 1850. Palgrave Macmillan.ISBN 0-312-23373-6.
• Samuels, Richard J (1996).Rich Nation, Strong Army:National Security and the Technological Transformation of Japan. ornell University Press.ISBN 0-312-23373-6.
• Sims, Richard (2001).Japanese Political History Since the Meiji Renovation 1868-2000. Palgrave Macmillan.ISBN 0-312-23915-7.
• Howe, Christopher (1996).The Origins of Japanese Trade Supremacy: Development and Technology in Asia. C Hurst Publishing.ISBN 185065221X.
• Low, Morris (1999).Science, Technology and Society in Contemporary Japan. Cambridge University Press.ISBN 0521654254.
• "Imperial Ordinance No. 343"(PDF).Official Gazette: English Edition. No. 74. Government Printing Bureau. 1946-07-01. pp. 1–3. Retrieved2021-03-18.

• Government of the Empire of Japan
• Former government ministries of Japan
• 1885 establishments in Japan
• 1949 disestablishments in Japan

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