[[Population, birth, and death in Japan for the period 1890-1920]]

"Japanese mortality statistics since 1872 show upward [trends] in overall mortality until 1920, and thereafter mortality goes down. Whether this was true or just...caused by improvement in [the] death registration rate has been a matter of debate. The author tried to examine the accuracy and completeness of death registration data for the period 1890-1920....[It is found that] registered mortality data for the period 1890-1920 are believed to be highly reliable and would be a valuable source of data for the study of the early stage of mortality transition." (SUMMARY IN ENG)