160906-0048 - Ministry of Communications

The Ministry of Communications (逓信省, Teishin-sho) in Kobiki-cho (木挽町), Kyobashi-ku (current Ginza, Chuo-ku), Tokyo.

Amongst others, the ministry was charged with the supervision of most land and water transportation businesses, the post office, telegraph business, lighthouse management and the electric power industry.

Its modern successors include the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan Post, and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone.

The building was designed by Japanese architect Shichijiro Satachi (佐立 七次郎, 1856–1922), one of the first four students to study under British architect Josiah Conder (1852–1920) and graduate from the Imperial College of Engineering (now the Faculty of Engineering of The University of Tokyo).

Construction was completed in 1910 (Meiji 43). It was destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake (Kanto Daishinsai) of September 1, 1923 (Taisho 12).