Overview

Representing as it does the movement of people and goods, transport has had an enormous influence on politics and economics. As with other countries, the most common form of overland transport in ancient times was road-based on foot or by horse, while shipping via water routes was the only means of conveying large volumes. However, owing to the national isolation policy in force in Japan at the time of the Industrial Revolution, Japan's modernization of transport got off to a slow start in comparison with that in other countries.

The modernization of means of transport came in the form of the modernization of motive power as represented by the steam locomotive, a vehicle that used iron for augmented speed and size. Taking the form of the construction of railways for overland transport, and the building of steel ships for marine traffic, the modernization of transport in Japan got underway as of the Meiji period, and was carried out as one of the moves to modernize the state by introducing those technology from Britain.