Official Gazette - Kanpo

It is a national journal issued to publicize and announce laws, treaties, notices, announcements, Diet matters, government reports, and conferment of ranks and decorations, etc., published based on laws and regulations. In Japan, it is currently edited and produced by the National Printing Bureau, an independent administrative institution, and is published daily (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, and the New Year holidays). The history of the Official Gazette and similar publications dates back to China, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (mid-8th century), when there was a "Teiho" (Tei Report) that reported on developments at the Imperial Court and government announcements, and later, the Song Dynasty revived this system and published it every five days under the title "Choho" (Choho). This was the world's first Official Gazette. Japan's Official Gazette was first published on July 2, 1883 (Meiji 16), at the suggestion of Councillor Yamagata Aritomo. The intention of the publication was to suppress private newspapers that had become political party organs at the time and that "attacked the government, spoke of civil rights, and called freedom." However, it cannot be overlooked that the founding of the Official Gazette played a major role in modernizing Japan's system of promulgating laws and regulations. Since the opening of the Imperial Diet in 1890, the minutes of the Diet have been made known to the public through special editions of the Official Gazette. In the democratic society after World War II, the role of the Official Gazette became even more important, and in April 1973 (Showa 48), the paper was revamped to "Easy to Read Official Gazette," which remains in use to this day. For six years after the end of the war, an English version of the Official Gazette (OFFICIAL GAZETTE) was also published. The total number of issues published throughout the Meiji, Taisho, Showa, and Heisei eras was 29,960 as of July 2, 1983, the 100th anniversary of the publication. As of April 4, 2003 (Heisei 15), the number of issues published had reached 35,175 (excluding special editions).

[Masao Takasu and Takashi Ito]

"Kondo Kanehiro, 'Before and After the First Publication of the Official Gazette' (1978, Hara Shobo)" ▽ "The Ministry of Finance Printing Bureau, 'The 100-Year History of the Official Gazette' (1983)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

法令、条約のほか、法令に基づき掲載される告示、公告、国会事項、官庁報告、叙位・叙勲などを一般に周知、公布する目的で発行する国の機関紙。日本では現在、独立行政法人国立印刷局が編集、製造を管掌し、日刊（土・日曜、祝日、年末年始は休刊）で発行。官報またはそれに類する刊行物の歴史は、中国では、唐の玄宗皇帝時代（8世紀中ごろ）、宮中の動静や政府の発表などを報ずる「邸報」があり、その後、宋(そう)がその制度を復活し、「朝報」と題して5日ごとに発行したといわれる。これが世界最初の官報である。日本の官報は1883年（明治16）7月2日、参議山県有朋(やまがたありとも)の建議によって創刊された。発刊の意図は、当時、政党機関紙化し「政府ヲ攻訐(こうけつ)シ、民権ト云(い)ヒ、自由ト称ス」民間新聞の抑圧を目ざしたものであった。しかし官報の創刊が、わが国の法令公布制度の近代化に大きな役割を果たしたことは見逃せない。1890年帝国議会開設以来、議会速記録は官報号外によって国民に周知されることになった。第二次世界大戦後の民主社会では官報の役割がいっそう高まり、1973年（昭和48）4月「読みやすい官報」へと紙面を刷新して現在に至っている。終戦後6年間、官報英語版（OFFICIAL GAZETTE）が発行されたこともある。明治、大正、昭和、平成を通じての発行号数は、創刊100年目にあたる1983年7月2日で計2万9960号。2003年（平成15）4月4日現在では、3万5175号に及んでいる（号外を除く）。

［高須正郎・伊藤高史］

『近藤金広著『官報創刊前後』（1978・原書房）』▽『大蔵省印刷局編・刊『官報100年のあゆみ』（1983）』

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