A Study of the Parliamentary System Formation of Hyogo Prefecture

Abstract

The Hyogo prefectural assembly was held on the fifteenth of May in the twelfth year of Meiji (1879). As far as the author knows, it has never been studied in detail how the assemblymen were elected. Besides, it has never been made known how the budget was discussed by the assembly. This article treats two points. First, the legal grounds of the election of the assemblymen will be dealt with in terms of the assembly rules. The number of the assemblymen and the actual state of vote in the first Hyogo prefectural assembly will also be discussed demonstratively, and the true state of the election will be made clear. Secondly, the author will analyze from the data the state of the first prefectural assembly and argue on the salary of guncho (the head of a county). All this will throw light on the nature of the early prefectural assembly.