Ministry of International Trade and Industry

Established by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry Establishment Act based on the National Administrative Organization Act, it is a national administrative agency in charge of international trade and industry administration. In 1925 (Taisho 14), it was separated from the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce to become the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and for a time it became the Ministry of Munitions, but in 1949 (Showa 24), the Ministry of International Trade and Industry was launched, and it has carried out the duties described below under the new Establishment Act of 1952. It has been commonly known as the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. Reorganization was carried out in response to economic, political, and social conditions, and the organizational reform of 1973 (Showa 48) is said to have created a system aimed at realizing comprehensive and multifaceted international trade and industry policy through cooperation between so-called horizontal and vertical departments. In 2001 (Heisei 13), with the reorganization of central government ministries and agencies, it became the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry was an administrative agency responsible for the integrated execution of the following national administrative affairs and businesses: promotion and adjustment of trade and management of foreign exchange associated with trade, promotion of international cooperation in trade and economy, promotion, improvement, adjustment and inspection of the production, distribution and consumption of mineral and industrial products, affairs relating to the rationalization and optimization of commercial and industrial activities, affairs relating to metrology, adjustment of the operation of electric, gas and heat supply businesses, development of mineral resources and securing of energy supplies such as electricity and promotion of their use and adjustment of hydroelectric power generation, affairs relating to the conservation of mines, affairs relating to industrial property rights, promotion and guidance of small and medium-sized enterprises, research and testing on science and technology in mining and manufacturing and dissemination of the results, establishment and dissemination of industrial standards, adjustment and statistics relating to commercial and industrial activities and other affairs relating to commercial and industrial activities, national trading businesses, alcohol monopoly business, etc.

Before the reorganization of the ministries and agencies, the organizational structure of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry was as follows. The head of the ministry was the Minister of International Trade and Industry, and there were seven internal bureaus: the Trade Policy Bureau, Trade Bureau, Industrial Policy Bureau, Environment and Location Bureau, Basic Industries Bureau, Machinery and Information Industry Bureau, and Living Industries Bureau. The Minister's Secretariat had the Research and Statistics Department, and the Trade Policy Bureau had the International Economics Department and Economic Cooperation Department. Councils included the Industrial Structure Council, Large-Scale Retail Store Council, High Pressure Gas and Explosives Safety Council, Chemicals Council, Information-Technology Promotion Council, Aircraft Industry Council, Vehicle Racing Council, Textile Industry Council, and Industrial Technology Council. Facilities and organizations included the Metrology Training School, Product Evaluation Technology Center, and Research Institute of International Trade and Industry. Special organizations included the Industrial Technology Agency, which conducted testing and research on science and technology in the mining and manufacturing industries. Regional branch bureaus included the International Trade and Industry Bureau and the Mine Safety Supervision Bureau and Department, and external bureaus included the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, the Japan Patent Office, and the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency. Many of these operations were taken over by the new Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

[Kazukazu Hirata]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

国家行政組織法に基づいて、通商産業省設置法によって設置され、通商産業行政をつかさどった国の行政機関。1925年（大正14）に農商務省から独立し、商工省となり、一時軍需省となったが、1949年（昭和24）に通商産業省が発足し、1952年の新設置法の下で後述の任務を遂行してきた。通称、通産省とよばれてきた。経済、政治、社会状況に応じて機構改革が行われたが、1973年（昭和48）の機構改革で、いわゆる横割・縦割部局間の連携による総合的・多角的通商産業政策の実現を目ざす体制が形成されたとされている。2001年（平成13）の中央省庁再編で、経済産業省となった。

　通商産業省は、次のような、国の行政事務および事業を一体的に遂行する責任を負う行政機関であった。すなわち、通商の振興および調整ならびに通商に伴う外国為替(かわせ)の管理、通商経済上の国際協力の推進、鉱産物および工業品の生産・流通および消費の増進・改善および調整ならびに検査、商鉱工業の合理化および適正化に関する事務、計量に関する事務、電気事業・ガス事業および熱供給事業の運営の調整、鉱物資源の開発および電力等のエネルギーの供給の確保ならびに、これらの利用の推進ならびに発電水力の調整、鉱山の保全に関する事務、工業所有権に関する事務、中小企業の振興および指導、鉱工業の科学技術に関する試験研究およびその成果の普及、工業標準の制定および普及、商鉱工業に関する調整および統計その他商鉱工業に関する事務、国営通商事業、アルコール専売事業等、であった。

　省庁再編前の、通産省の組織は次のようなものであった。長は通商産業大臣であり、内部部局として、大臣官房のほか、通商政策局、貿易局、産業政策局、環境立地局、基礎産業局、機械情報産業局、生活産業局の7局が置かれ、大臣官房に調査統計部、通商政策局に国際経済部および経済協力部が置かれていた。審議会としては、産業構造審議会、大規模小売店舗審議会、高圧ガス及び火薬類保安審議会、化学品審議会、情報処理振興審議会、航空機工業審議会、車両競技審議会、繊維産業審議会、産業技術審議会が、施設等機関として、計量教習所のほか製品評価技術センター、通商産業研究所が置かれた。特別の機関には、鉱工業の科学技術に関する試験研究等を行う機関たる工業技術院があった。また、地方支分部局として、通商産業局と鉱山保安監督局・部、外局として、資源エネルギー庁、特許庁、中小企業庁が置かれていた。なお、これらの業務の多くは、新省庁の経済産業省に引き継がれた。

［平田和一］

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