JIZO Mining Co., Ltd.｜History of Gold Mine

History of Modern Gold Mining Business in Japan

Is there still Gold in Japan?
Is Japan had exhausted dig all the Gold?
Why Gold mine business was decay in Japan?

Modernize Japanese gold mine has been decline, not because gold vein has been exhausted. Direct factor of the gold mine decline was a gold mine development ordinance which was issued in 1943, during World War II. The hundreds of gold mine by national policy during the war is all pause or abolished in a moment, gold mining business got catastrophic damage. The decline of the Japanese gold mine of modern times is due to national policy. It is also because had never exhausted digging gold, not also because it is no longer.

Gold Mine Development Ordinance

The government is making a big decisive judgment as follows; Closes all of the gold mines of the country, and the industry force with the gold mine must converted to copper, iron and coal immediately, for a large increase in production such those minerals.

― Commerce & Industry Minister Shinsuke Kishi,
“For Mining Industry Warriors"

The Gold Mine Development Ordinance is the government policy of 1943, which became a turning point in Japan's gold mining history. Until then the government has been encouraging the increased production of gold for the import settlement, but was closure of the gold mine in reversal and it is difficult to import of munitions by the outbreak of war.

By this policy,
Modern Japan's Gold Mine has received a devastating hammering.

The Reason for Japan's Gold Mine Decay

Gold has been a monetary standard of value as very susceptible important precious metal the affected of a person with power at the time for a long time. In Japan, gold mining has been promoted as important national projects as import settlement means before the World War II but it became prohibited business in reversal during the war, and all of the gold mine became shutdown. After the war, by the gold standard abolished (managed currency system migration), gold mining business has lost its raison d'etre as a national business. In addition, increase in production costs (labor costs, etc.) due to become industrialized countries and strengthening of environmental regulations, the gold mining business was increasingly severe. The cause of the gold mine decay of Japan, depletion of the gold veins is not a cause, political aspect was the main factor. (It is a national policy business in developing countries such as gold mining business even now.)

With the Asahi News Paper morning edition top page on April, 1943.

→ Click a enlarge button, it switch to the enlarged display.

The History of Gold Mine Policy in Modern Japan

Chronology Table Related to Gold and International Gold Prices Chart

Red Line ： London Market Price
Blue Line : New York Market Price

225 years ( 1791 – 2016 )

US dollars per troy ounce (US / tr)

Gold mines in Japan, the transition from a non-national projects after
the war and Gold Mine Development Ordinance of 1943 up to now,
not be revived even after rising gold prices since Nixon shock.

UK / Established Gold Standard
The gold standard is established in UK.
Gold guarantee that the value of
currency.

US / Stopping Silver Standard
US Federal Reserve Bank decided
o stop the silver standard.
Transition to substantially gold
standard.

World Depression
The Great Depression occurred
and it effect as no function of
resurrected the gold standard.
All countries abandoned the
gold standard since this happen.

The Gold Standard Abolished
USSR invation attach in Afghanistan
Iran - Iraq War
International information is unstable.

Nixon Shock
US dollar issuance has exceeded the
gold bullion holdings. Stopping the
exchange of currency and gold.

Sub-prime mortgage crisis
Lehman shock
US bubble collapse
The sub-prime loan problem is
discovered, the stock crashed.
The fund is migrating from high-yield
financial market to the gold market.

Destabilization of
International Situation

　・UK - EU disengaged
　・The rise of protectionism
　・Islamic State problem

Edo
Period

Meiji
Period

Taisho
Period

Showa
Period

Currency in circulation:
Gold / Silver / Copper

World War I

World War II

Empire of Japan, Gold Mine Development Ordinance (1943)

With the outbreak of the Pacific War, the lack of military materials by imports from overseas., it diminished the significance of the Gold as for overseas payment. Japan became an urgent need to self-sufficiency of direct the necessary mineral resources in the war (Copper, Iron, Coal, Lead, Zinc, Manganese, etc.), the most of the Gold mine became the closure.

Gold vein is generated in the course of earthquake and volcanic (orogenic) activity.
Japan continues to be a literally golden country Zipangu even now.
It is a historic rise phase of the gold price now, it’s the time to go for Japanese gold mining revival.

JIZO Mine / Refinery site previously

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