Abstract
The location planning of government office buildings proposed in January 1885 by Josiah Conder was the first which had Kasumigaseki as a central government district and Hibiya as a park, and has great significance in the history of modern city planning. There is very little research on Conder's planning, however. Little is known about the events leading up to the planning, or Conder's planning intentions. Using several historical documents that are not yet public knowledge, this study tackled these issues for the first time, revealing a number of things, including the following: 1)The undertaking of location planning of government office buildings by the Dajokan (Grand Council of State) and Conder's appointment were both decided upon as a result of a proposal made in April 1884 to the Grand Minister of State by Kaoru Inoue, Minister of State. 2) Conder's plans included two proposals; Plan No.1 and No.2. Condor's own intention was to concentrate most of the government office buildings on land in the western side of the Hibiya Parade Ground and the Military School and Barracks, and to make the eastern side of the Hibiya Parade Ground into a large park due to its inferior geological features. This was Plan No.2.
