Abstract
On the 2nd of July 1883, "Kanpou" (the Official Gazette) was began publishing. Within the same year, for the convenience of government officers, Dajoukan Bunshokyoku (The Great Council of State Printing Bureau) decided to publish the monthly slip of Tassi (circulars) and Kokuji (notices).
Based on the monthly slip, in 1884, Dajoukan Bunshokyoku was planning to publish "Tassi Kokuji Zenshuu" (The Collection of Circulars and Notices) and "Hukohu Hutatsu Zenshuu" (The Collection of Proclamations and Departmental Proclamations). This was a burdensome and far-reaching project. Because "Tassi Kokuji Zenshuu" would consist of the monthly slip of Tassi and Kokuji, the 3-month edition with the cumulated index and the annual edition with the cumulated index. Similarly, "Hukoku Hutatsu Zenshuu" was planning to be composed of the 3-month edition with the cumulated index and annual edition with the cumulated index. According to this project, Dajoukan Bunshokyoku had to edit and print 5 different editions simultaneously as chronological editions. At the same time, Dajoukan Bunshokyoku was planning to bring out a retrospective edition which would cover from 1867 (just before the foundation of Meiji Govt.) to 1884 (the chronological edition would cover from 1885).
Compared with the editing and printing efficiency of Dajoukan Bunshokyoku at that time, it was almost impossible to publish 6 different editions at the same time besides daily "Kanpou". So, the publication project had to be altered. Dajoukan Bunshokyoku researched the systems for the collection of laws and regulations in European countries. So, it decided to reform the publication system of "Tassi Kokuji Zenshuu" and "Hukoku Hutatsu Zenshuu" before publishing any edition. This reformed new collection of laws and regulations was named "Hourei Zensho" (The Complete Collection of Laws and Regulations). This collection was also divided into two categories: The chronological edition which consisted of monthly slips from 1885, and the retrospective edition from 1867 (referred above) to 1884.
Although "Hourei Zensho" was also divided into a chronological edition and a retrospective edition, two big differences existed between the publication project of "Hourei Zensho" and that of "Tassi Kokuji Zenshuu" and "Hukoku Hutatsu Zenshuu". First of all, "Hourei Zensho" contained every form of laws and regulations; Hukoku and Hutatsu as well as Tassi and Kokuji. Secondly, the chronological edition of "Hourei Zensho" did not have the 3-month edition nor the annual edition. It only had monthly slips. Readers by themselves were supposed to compile 12 monthly slips and the index to the year into an annual bound volume. Much labor and trouble could be saved by publishing only the monthly slips and the retrospective edition.
