Notification No. 1., January 4, 1877

Notification No. 1.

It is hereby made known that in accordance with the decree of His Imperial Majesty the Mikado, the land-tax throughout the country from and after this date is reduced to 2½ percent, on the value of the land.

imperial decree.

Almost immediately after the restoration, duties of a novel nature, and many needful improvements, were undertaken by the government, both at home and abroad, which, necessarily, greatly increased the national expenditure. The burden of this fell upon the people, and was hard to be borne, for which reason we ordered that the mode of taxation should be remodeled and settled at 3 per cent, on the value of the land, thinking thus to afford relief to our people. But having recently visited various parts of our dominion, we have carefully observed the agricultural population, and sympathizing with their condition, have determined to still further reduce the land-tax to 2½ per cent, on the value of the land. We therefore order all officials to act in accordance with our will, and to be as economical as possible in the public expenditure.

Notification No. 2.

His Imperial Majesty the Mikado having decreed that the land-tax should be reduced, and that as much economy as possible should be observed in the expenditure, it is hereby declared that the tax for local purposes to be levied upon the people, as made known by notification No. 272, issued in July, 1873, must not exceed one-fifth of the amount of the land-tax.