How has Japanese Banking System Established?

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K01797
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 07070:Economic history-related
• Research Institution: Doshisha University
• Principal Investigator: Shikano Yoshiaki 同志社大学, 経済学部, 教授 (60241767)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 両替商 / 為替会社 / 国立銀行条例 / 国立銀行 / 明治９年国立銀行条例改正

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I conducted research to clarify the formation process of the modern banking system established in the Meiji period, and published "A History of Banking in Japan: From the Edo Period to the Early Meiji Period" (Toyo Keizai Shimposha, 2023). To be more specific, after describing the reality of money changer finance that spread in Osaka in the Edo period, I discuss the significance and limitations of the exchange bank established in the early Meiji era as part of the policy to promote new industries, as well as how to deal with its bankruptcy. In addition to examining the background and development of the national bank system, I clarified the reasons why the modern banking system took root in Japan due to the revision of the ordinance in 1877.

Free Research Field

金融史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでの間、長年にわたって両替商、為替会社および国立銀行という区分のなかで個別に実施されてきた研究を近代銀行制度の整備過程という研究課題のなかで捉え直し、そうした動きを統一的な観点から分析したことが学術的意義として指摘できる。そうした成果は「日本近代銀行制度の成立史」という研究書の刊行を通じて広く公開され、研究成果を社会に還元するという役割を果たしたところに社会的な意義が見出される。