A Study on the Bridge that was built by Private Finance in the Meiji Era

Abstract

The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) Law to promote construction of public facilities using private finance was enacted last year. Many privately financed bridges were built in the early years of the Meiji era as part of the construction of the social infrastructure using the vitality of the private sector. This paper takes as an example the Tokiwa Bridge, a privately built toll bridge over the Jogange River in Toyama Prefecture during the Meiji era, and considers local finance, procedures leading up to construction of the bridge, and its operation, at a time when private capital had to be used to meet the need for bridge, in the light of today's PFI.