(Voice actor) Mr.Akira Daniel Duncan

Japan’s postal system has a reputation of having a very accurate delivery schedule. It has a long history dating back to 645 when the station system to send and receive official documents using horses started. Later, in the 1190s, in addition to horses, couriers who ran to deliver letters appeared. The combined use of horses and couriers continued through the Edo period, but in the 1870s, when the postal business began, couriers would be taken over by the postal system. It was Hisoka Maejima who established the postal system. Hisoka referenced the postal system of foreign countries. With the Treaty of Amity and Commerce Between the United States and the Empire of Japan in 1858, consulate generals of foreign countries were built in various locations, such as Yokohama. Hisoka learned of a system to send and receive documents very functionally between the consulates general and respective home countries. Hisoka thought that the success of modernization depended on a system of information exchange, so he suggested establishing a postal system to the Meiji government. Hisoka had accomplished a big job prior to the establishment of the postal system. He influenced the decision to relocate the capital to Edo. The current capital of Japan is Tokyo. But when the Tokugawa regime was toppled, the new Meiji government thought to relocate the capital from Kyoto to another city. The leading candidate was Osaka. The reason was that Osaka was close to Kyoto and that it was flourishing as a mercantile city, but the court nobles based in Kyoto (the vassals of the Emperor) opposed. Then, Hisoka advocated for relocation of the capital to Tokyo. The outline for his proposal was: - Osaka is close to Kyoto and is already thriving without the relocation of the capital - Edo is a top city of the world, heavily populated, and the infrastructures are in place, but if another city became the capital, the population would decline and it would decay as a city - There are large sites such as each domains’ residence that have already served their purposes, so expansions and urban development can be expected. Upon consideration of the future expansion of the city, many approved at Edo’s suitability. So the relocation of the capital to Tokyo was decided, and Hisoka’s foresight was proved. The postal system that he established also became essential to Japan’s development. Enjoy the story of Hisoka Maejima, the person who built the foundation of Japan with his foresight.