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during the short reign of new methods, but nothing daunted His Majesty the Emperor Mutsuhito from pursuing the work of reform in accordance with fixed principles, aided by such distinguished men as Okubo, Kido, and Saigo, who are responsible for the present condition of progress in its first stage.

In June, 1873, the first annual Budget was published, and since 1875 annual accounts have been issued. In April, 1895, the Senate and Court of Cassation were instituted, the systems affecting legislation and judicial administration being meanwhile revised. In July, 1878, Fu or Ken (Provincial) Assemblies and Town or Village Assemblies were established. March, 1880, saw the official installation of a Board of Audit. In July of the same year the Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure were promulgated.

In October, 1881, an Imperial decree proclaimed that an Imperial Diet should be held, dating from the twenty-third year of Meiji (1890). In February, 1889, the Constitution of the Empire of Japan, the House Law, and the Law of Finance, were published, and in June, 1890, the Law of Administrative Adjudication—all these laws coming into force from the date on which the Imperial Diet was to be held (November of the following year).

Meantime there were promulgated several important laws relating to the organization of the central Government; the organization of cities, towns, and villages; and the organization of Fu or Ken; along with the Civil Code, the Commercial Code, the Code of Civil Procedure, and the revised Code of Criminal Procedure. The Civil and Commercial Codes, however, were found still to contain inconvenient provisions, so the date of their taking effect was postponed in view of further revision, to be decreed by the Diet at the session of the same year. Subsequently, in order to meet shortcomings generally felt in commercial circles, the more important provisions of the Commercial Code—such as laws relating to companies, bills and notes, and bankruptcy proceedings—were made effective. At the same time the revision of the Civil and Commercial Codes was undertaken by a Committee specially appointed for the purpose in March, 1894, and these two codes in their revised form have already come into force. The Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Code of Civil Procedure, likewise in turn came to be revised by the same Committee. The first two of these codes have now been completely revised for submission to the Diet. Considerable revision was made not only in laws concerning the jurisdiction of the Judicial Department, but also in those relating to general administration. The administration laws especially required unification in accordance with more enlightened