Metsuke
Sign in to savewere the censors or the inspectors of Tokugawa shogunate. They were bakufu officials ranking somewhat lower than the bugyō. The metsuke were charged with the special duty of detecting and investigating instances of maladministration, corruption or disaffection anywhere in Japan, and particularly amongst the populace having status below the daimyō.
~7 min read
Article
8 sectionsContents
- Intelligence gathering
- Ōmetsuke
- Ad hoc evolution
- In popular culture
- List of metsuke
- See also
- Notes
- References
were the censors or the inspectors of Tokugawa shogunate. They were bakufu officials ranking somewhat lower than the bugyō. The metsuke were charged with the special duty of detecting and investigating instances of maladministration, corruption or disaffection anywhere in Japan, and particularly amongst the populace having status below the daimyō.
==Intelligence gathering== The shogunate recognized the need for some kind of internal intelligence-gathering apparatus and for some degree of covert espionage within its own ranks. It could be said that the metsuke functioned as the Shogun's intelligence agency or as internal spies, reporting to the officials in Edo on events and situations across the country.