抄録
Research on secular trends and short-term fluctuations of the mean age of menarche in Japan from the 1880s to the 1980s has revealed the following facts: 1. From 1920, Japan's mean age of menarche began an obvious decline, which continued until 1945, with some short-term fluctuations. But it rose soon afterwards and again began to decline drastically from 1950; 2. The mean age of menarche of schoolgirls and mill girls declined from the 1910s to the 1930s. Because both of them were in relatively disadvantaged positions within the Japanese household system of 'ie' in terms of nutritional intake, the decline in mean age implied possible improvement of the general standard of living in Japan during the period; 3. Analysis of peak height velocity of elementary and secondary school boys and girls showed PHV during the 1920s, and their tendency to grow in height continued to the 1930s. These findings allow us to reconsider the evaluation of economic conditions during the interwar period in Japan, especially from the 1910s to the 1930s.
