During the Meiji era many Europeans and Americans employed by the Japanese Government took a distinguished part in making up modern Japan. It is not right to belittle the influences of those employed foreigners of various nationalities in the flux of modernization. Among foreigners Englishmen exceeded in number especially in the earlier years. Foreigners employed by the Japanese Government were on duty not only at ministries proper, but proceeded to their new posts in prefectures. On the other side, a prefecture bore the personnel expenses of its own to employ foreigners from various countries.
It is on record that in Niigata Prefecture foreigners engaged by the Government and Prefecture took their posts chiefly at government-managed Sado Mine, National Niigata English School under the direct control of the Ministry of Education, and the English and the Medical schools founded by the Prefecture.
This paper is going to describe the actual circumstances of foreigners in the service of the Government and Niigata Prefecture and to know their influences upon the modernization of Japan.