Dietary habits of the Japanese started to change rapidly in Meiji Era. It was in Meiji Era that dishes containing beef, canned food, western style cooking, which are everyday foods in today’s Japan, began to spread among people. Under such social situations, the Japanese government established laws for adapting new dietary habits and developed a new kind of foods for the modernized army on the other hand. In this connection, the Center for Asian Historical Records stores the following materials. 1. Original script signed by the Emperor in 1900: Law No.15: Control of foods, drinks and other goods. 2. Original script signed by the Emperor in 1906: Law No. 32: Law on butchery. 3. Prices of the combat provision and fodder, from the Accounting Department. 4. Supply of soup 5. Selling unsatisfactory provisions Please click the following image to see materials relating to the Russo-Japanese War and new dietary habits.

Source: National Archives of Japan (NAJ)   Title: Original script signed by the Emperor in 1900: Law No.15: Control of foods, drinks and other goods. Reference code: A03020433900 　This material is a document proclaiming the law concerning food sanitation. The concept of sanitation is a new thought brought about by modern medical science. The Japanese government prohibited provision of "foods and drinks for sale or tableware for sale or business purposes" (Original text in Katakana) that may "cause sanitation risks".

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Source: National Archives of Japan (NAJ)   Title: Original script signed by the Emperor in 1906: Law No. 32: Law on butchery Reference code: A03020657600 　This material is a document proclaiming the law concerning treatment of livestock for meat. New laws were prepared in connection with changes in dietary habits.

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Source: National Institute for Defense Studies, Ministry of Defense   Title: Concerning prices of the combat provision and fodder, from the Accounting Department Reference code: C03022852700 　 　This material is an official document communicated from Vice Minister of Army to parties concerned on priced of portable foodstuffs of army. Also attached is the "price list of military food supplies consigned for the mobilization in 1907 (40th year of Meiji)".

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Source: National Institute for Defense Studies, Ministry of Defense   Title: Concerning supply of soup. Reference code: C03026279000 　 　This is a letter from "Bovril Co. Ltd." in London addressed to Vice Minister of Army to sell their products. "Bovril Co. Ltd." in those days was a business company manufacturing portable foodstuffs for the British Army. This company has continued business after the Second World War.

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Source: National Institute for Defense Studies, Ministry of Defense   Title: Selling unsatisfactory provisions Reference code: C03026447700 　This material is a document reporting the disposal by selling of army foodstuffs unsuitable for eating. It reports that dried foodstuffs "uneatable due to odor" were disposed of by selling.

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