suburban train networks came to be developed keeping pace with the progress of urbanization. In 1927, Japan’s first subway run by Tokyo Underground Railway came into service between Asakusa and Ueno by Tokyo Underground Railway.

When Yokohama Port opened in 1859, it was furnished with two docks eastward and westward. Main ships would stay at anchor offshore, and smaller barges would reciprocate between the docks and the main ships to carry freight and passengers. Opening of the railway between Yokohama and Shinbashi resulted in a bulking volume export and import freight at Yokohama Port, urging the development of facilities that allow direct mooring of larger main ships, but harbor works was not commenced instantly because of financial difficulties. It was not until 1889 when Japan’s first harbor renovation works set into full motion. Through the implementation of the first phase of the renovation works (1889 to 1896) and the second phase (1899 to 1916), the construction of general-purpose harbor facilities furnished with railway sidings came to completion with berthing and cargo handling made easier, turning Yokohama into one of the world’s leading ports. Following the Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War, an accelerating transition of Japan’s industrial structure, with its heavy industries progressing, dictated the nation to launch a political package aimed at ports and harbors to respond to the needs of the changing times. Then, the Port and Harbor Council was inaugurated under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Internal Affairs as an advisory body concerning the construction and planning of ports and harbors. The council submitted its recommendation titled “Policy for Selecting and Constructing Key Ports and Harbors” to the government in 1907 and designated four ports as Class 1 key ports and eight as Class 2 key ports to qualify for treasury subsidization. More key ports were added in pace with the growth of domestic industries.

Japan’s history of airport building dates back to the construction of a military airfield in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture 1911. In 1931, a state-run airport dedicated to civil aviation opened as “Tokyo Airport” (later “Haneda Airport”), furnished with one runway 300 m long and 15 m wide. Osaka Itami Airport completed in 1939 but, with the subsequent outbreak of World War II, air transportation was no longer available to civilians for private use as the nation moved into a war regime.

Road development lagged behind railway development as a whole, because the Meiji Government had a policy of prioritizing railways.

Japan’s first road legislation is said to have been the stipulation that reads “those who undertake to execute projects for

flood control, road repairs, etc. for convenience's sake shall be authorized to collect dues" issued in December 1871 as Grand Council of State Edict No. 648. This edict encourages private development of roads and bridges in return for granting a right to collect dues. It helped renovate Sayo-no-Nakayama Pass on the Tokai-do Road and lay a bridge across Tenryu River. In 1876, Grand Council of State Edict No. 60 was issued to classify all roads into three categories: national roads, prefectural roads and vicinal roads. In 1885, 40 national road routes were authorized. Later, the Road Bill was debated at the Imperial Diet starting from 1896. The former "Road Law" was established in 1919, which had played a central role in Japan's road administration until the present Road Law was enacted in 1952.

## (Development of Infrastructures in Daily Livelihood)

As for river control, low-water river works were

conducted to rectify and dredge channels and thus to animate river traffic, then a primary means of mass-transportation. The development of railway networks since the middle of the Meiji Period, however, eroded river traffic, with the result of the significance of low-water river works shrinking. In the meantime, flood damages occurred frequently on large rivers, such as Yodo River, Tone River and Kiso River, arousing a need to put drastic flood control measures into action. A subsequent transition to high-water works by embankment was instrumental in gradually diminishing flood damages.

Arakawa Discharge Channel was one of these. Its master plan was formulated as a drastic measure to protect downtown Tokyo from flood damages in the wake of a catastrophic flood in 1910. Its construction was commenced in 1911, the following year. The works was pursued by making maximum use of manual excavation, mechanical excavation,