Japanese Pirates in the Beginning of the Heian Period [2-3]

After the year 862, orders for chasing and arresting pirates were issued in 865, in 866, in 867, and in 869 almost in succession. These years is considered to be the first rise of Japanese pirates. On April the 11th, 866, for example, the central government ordered the provincial governors of Settsu, Izumi, Harima, Bizen, Bingo, Aki, Suo, Nagato, Kii, Awaji, Awa, Sanuki, Iyo, and Tosa to chase and arrest pirates, and said, “On May the 20th, 862, and on June the 28th, 865, documents which tells you that you should chase and arrest pirates were issued. Yet, even today, we hear that groups of pirates are coming about and never stop plundering and looting. This is due to the situation that governors have not worked hard enough to liquidate pirates. If a governor does not investigate and arrest pirates, and leave them committing father atrocities, it will be the governor who will be charged. He cannot be pardoned. The number of those arrested should be reported in a written form.” This document clearly describes the order issued in 862 was the very start of those for chasing and arresting pirates. It demands to report the number of pirates arrested, and that implies governors had been given authority to decide who were pirates and who were not. We will see how giving this kind of authority actually worked later.