Timeline of Statistics in Japan

646	Laws governing the distribution of farmland, taxation, corvee, and trade established, first large-scale household census.
819	Survey and recording of living standards in the Kinai Region.
1582	Hideyoshi’s Land Tax (–1598).
1591	“People Sweep” household census taken.
1721	Survey of Farmland and Population.
1726	Regional Population Census.
1750	Regional Population Census.
1870	Main Office of the pre-constitutional Meiji government (Dajokan Seiin) releases a report on “Table of Prefectural Produce” (Origin of “Statistics Day”).
1871	Dajokan establishes Statistics Division.
1872	Nationwide Population Census based on the Family Register Law begins .”Shinmi Administration Tables” published. Dajokan establishes tabulation of topography section by establishing the branch section seiin.
1874	Seiin establishes Statistics Division. “Japan National Family Register Tables” published.	Punching with Turtle Model hand-key method punching machine
1875	Seiin abolishes the Statistics Division and establishes Tabulation Division No.5.
1877	Tabulation becomes under the control of the Research Bureau.
1879	Sugi Koji conducts the “Population Survey of the Province of Kai”.
1881	Statistics Office established in the Dajokan. “Japanese National Population Tables” published.
1882	First “Statistical Yearbook” published.
1885	With the establishment of the Cabinet, the Statistics Office becomes the Cabinet Statistics Bureau.
1902	“Laws Governing the Population Census” promulgated.
1905	Establishment of occupational categories for use in population census.
1918	Population census taken.	Poster for the 1st Population Census
1920	The Cabinet Statistics Bureau and the Munitions Bureau merge. Census Office established within the Cabinet. First nationwide population census (October 1).
1924	Ministry of Home Affairs enacts the first labor survey.
1930	Tokyo hosts the 19th Session of the International Statistics Institute (ISI).
1931	Japan Statistical Society established.
1937	Cost of Living Index Data Survey begins.
1945	Census for this year skipped.
1946	Labor Force Survey begins. Family Income and Expenditure Survey begins.	Labor Force Survey Poster
1947	With the promulgation of the Statistics Law (May 1) the Population Census becomes regulated. With the establishment of the Prime Minister’s Agency, the Cabinet Statistics Bureau becomes the Statistics Bureau of the Prime Minister’s Agency. First Establishment Census.
1948	First Housing Survey.
1949	With the establishment of the Prime Minister’s Office, the data processing department, the Statistics Bureau of the Prime Minister’s Agency becomes the data processing department, the Statistics Bureau of the Prime Minister’s Office.
1950	Price Survey begins. First National Statistics Conference held in Tokyo.
1952	International standards established for economic statistics. Unincorporated Enterprise Survey begins.
1953	Research Institute Survey (later the Survey of Science and Technology) begins.
1954	Internal Migration of Registered Residents Report (later the Internal Migration Reporting System) begins.
1956	First Employment Status Survey.
1959	First National Survey of Family Income and Expenditure. Family Savings Survey begins.
1960	Tokyo hosts the 32nd Session of the International Statistics Institute (ISI).
1961	IBM 705 Electronic Data Processing Machine introduced.	Tabulation by computer
1965	Optical mark reader used for compilation of the tenth Population Census.
1967	First National Survey of Prices.
1969	The grid-square statistics begin to compile.
1973	October 18 set as “Statistics Day”. Regional Infrastructure Survey begins.
1974	Emergency Survey of Prices in response to the first Oil Shock.
1976	First Survey of Time Use and Leisure Activities. Japan’s System of Social and Demographic Statistics introduced.
1984	With the establishment of the Management and Coordination Agency, the Statistics Bureau of the Prime Minister’s Agency and the Office of the Director for Statistical Standards of the Administrative Management Agency are combined and reorganized to form the Statistics Bureau of the Management and Coordination Agency and the Statistics Center.
1987	Tokyo hosts the 46th Session of the International Statistics Institute (ISI).
1988	Revisions made to the “Statistics Law and Statistical Reports Coordination Law” including the expansion of provisions for data security.
1989	Statistical information database system (SISMAC) begins operation. First Survey on Service Industries.
1991	Ceremony held commemorating the 120th year of the Statistics Bureau. The Statistical Museum established.
1993	First Japan Land Survey.
1995	Income and Expenditure for Survey for One-Person Households begins.
1999	Information network (SWAN) connects prefectures and municipalities.
2000	OCR standard questionnaires used in the 17th Population Census.
2001	With the reorganization of Japan’s central government, the Statistics Bureau and the Statistics Center become part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). Statistics Information Exhibition (Statistics Plaza) opens in the Tokyo Tower Building. Survey of Household Economy begins.
2003	Statistics Center reorganized into an incorporated administrative agency, the National Statistics Center (NSTAC) (April 1).
2007	The revised Statistics Act was enforced.
2008	Inter-Ministry Information System for Official Statistics (IMISOS) begins operation. First Monthly Survey on Service Industries.
2009	First Economic Census for Business Frame.
2012	First Economic Census for Business Activity.