Expulsion Edict (Hitobarairei) (人掃令)
The Expulsion Edict is a law Kanpaku TOYOTOMI Hidetsugu issued in 1592 during the Azuchi Momoyama period. It is also known as the Census (Ninbetsuaratame).
It was mandated to take a census, such as the number of households, the given population, gender, age and occupation in village units and to submit the census in writing. The goal was said to have determine the mobilization capacity of military force and workers to deal with Korean invasions (Bunroku and Keicho battles) by Hideyoshi and it also contributed to the separation of warriors and farmers. It is acknowledged that the Expulsion Edict contributed both to the separation of warriors and farmers and to the Korean invasions.
The Yoshikawa family documents, historical material, state that it was executed in 1591, but recent researchers doubt the date and strongly suggest it was executed in 1592. As the Occupation Control Edict (Mibuntoseirei) TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi ordered in 1591 and the Expulsion Edict have some common policies, some suppose that the Expulsion Edict was issued to increase enforcement of the policy.
Excerpt from the Yoshikawa documents.
"We promptly inform you.
1. Kanpaku orders sixty-six counties to execute the Expulsion Edict.
2. Provide documentation about the number of households, population, gender, age in village units.
3. The documents should be grouped according to occupation such as employees, townspeople, and farmers.
April 19th, 1591."