Japan, a constitutional monarchy situated off the east coast of Asia, has an area of 145,809 sq. mi. (377,835 sq. km.) and a population of 123.2 million. Capital: Tokyo. Japan, one of the major industrial nations of the world, exports machinery, motor vehicles, electronics and chemicals.
   Japan, founded (so legend holds) in 660 B.C. by a direct descendant of the Sun Goddess, was first brought into contact with the west by a storm-blown Portuguese ship in 1542.   European traders and missionaries proceeded to enlarge the contact until the Shogunate, sensing a military threat in the foreign presence, expelled all foreigners and restricted relations with the outside world in the 17th century. After Commodore Perry's U.S. flotilla visited in 1854, Japan rapidly industrialized, abolished the Shogunate and established a parliamentary form of government, and by the end of the 19th century achieved the status of a modern economic and military power. A series of wars with China and Russia, and participation with the allies in World War I, enlarged Japan territorially but brought its interests into conflict with the Far Eastern interests of the United States, Britain and the Netherlands, causing it to align with the Axis Powers for the pursuit of World War II. After its defeat in World War II, General Douglas MacArthur forced Japan to renounce military aggression as a political instrument, and he instituted constitutional democratic self-government. Japan quickly gained a position as an economic world power.
   Japanese coinage of concern to this catalog includes those issued for the Ryukyu Islands (also called Liuchu), a chain of islands extending southwest from Japan toward Taiwan (Formosa), before the Japanese government converted the islands into a prefecture under the name Okinawa. Many of the provinces of Japan issued their own definitive coinage under the Shogunate.

RULERS
Shoguns
Iyenari, 1787-1837
Iyeoshi, 1837-1853
Iyesada, 1853-1858
Iyemochi, 1858-1866
Yoshinobu, 1866-1867
Emperors
Komei, 1847-1866
Mutsuhito (Meiji), 1867-1912
   NOTE: The personal name of the emperor is followed by the name that he chose for his regnal era.

MONETARY SYSTEM
Until 1870
Prior to the Meiji currency reform, there was no fixed exchange rate between the various silver, gold and copper “cash” coins (which previously included Chinese “cash”) in circulation. Each coin exchanged on the basis of its own merits and the prevailing market conditions. The size and weight of the copper coins and the weight and fineness of the silver and gold coins varied widely. From time to time the government would declare an official exchange rate, but this was usually ignored. For gold and silver, nominal equivalents were:
16 Shu = 4 Bu = 1 Ryo
Commencing 1870
10 Rin = 1 Sen
100 Sen = 1 Yen

• Share
• Tweet
• "&title=""">

Related posts:

160 Responses to “JAPAN”