Metsuke
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Metsuke (目付?) were the Inspectors of Tokugawa Japan. In essence, they functioned as the Shogun's intelligence agency, reporting to the officials in Edo on events and situations across the country.
They were responsible for keeping watch over the daimyō (feudal lords). There were at any given time sixteen Metsuke (Inspectors), who were responsible to four Ō-metsuke (大目付?) (Chief Inspectors or Censors) and to the Wakadoshiyori (Junior Elders). All of these were in turn responsible to the four or five Rōjū.
The post of Metsuke was, of course, not immune to corruption, and could sometimes be bought through bribes to the right government officials.
[edit] Reference
- Sansom, George (1963). "A History of Japan: 1615-1867." Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
