The Economic Investigation Agency (EIA) as an Economic Control Organization Under the Occupation by the GHQ: Its Achievement and Assessment

Abstract

After WWII, Japan was occupied by the Allied Powers from 1945 to 1952. The beginning of that period, the black market infested nationally. The GHQ noticed the negative effect of the black market by the end of 1945 at the latest. The then Japanese government threatened to realize the effective measures towards the black market, therefore the Economic Investigation Agency (EIA) was established in August 1, 1948 as an affiliated organization of the Japanese Economic Stabilization Board (ESB). The EIA was responsible for accomplishing the smooth funning of the economic control.

According to the primary materials such as the records of the ESS (Economic and Scientific Section) of the GHQ and the Japanese EIA, the GHQ acknowledged the work and the performance of the EIA positively. On the other hand, the Japanese Administrative Administration Agency emphasized the poor performance of the EIA and the need to the abolition. Considering the reason why there were big gap of these assessment between the GHQ and the Japanese authority, the GHQ made a point of the numerical goal and the Japanese side paid attention to the cost and benefit or the legality, Furthermore, when the EIA was established, the reformist and centrist formed the Japanese administration. After the foundation of the EIA, the conservative party did it. Such the political situation in Japan, made the EIA politicize and effect the management.

The author believes this study makes partly clear that the fact concerning the creation and its performance of the EIA. However, the author cannot examine how the GHQ recognized the achievement of the EIA from the latter part of 1951 to 1952 because of the lack of primary GHQ materials. The author conceives all these are themes from now on.