Mountains of the State: Precious Metal Production in Tokugawa Japan

Geert Schreurs

No DP17-009, SSPJ Discussion Paper Series from Service Sector Productivity in Japan: Determinants and Policies, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University

Abstract: This study ties together a number of aspects influencing the production of precious metals in Tokugawa Japan (1600-1867), including international trade, technology and institutional arrangements. The main goal is to provide comprehensive estimates of the production silver, copper, and gold, as well as the economic relevance of this production. These estimates are arrived at by combining existing data and interpolating missing data under specific assumptions. Supply side and use side data are confronted to check consistency. The results show pronounced peaks in the production of silver circa 1630, and copper around 1700. Silver output comprised around 3% of GDP at its peak, which was unsurpassed by other mining sectors during the Tokugawa or even the Meiji period.

Pages: 98 pages
Date: 2017-09
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hit:sspjdp:dp17-009

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