The Japanese electric power industry is operated as a semi-governmental monopoly through national policy companies. These companies are owned privately, principally by the old public utility companies, but are very strictly supervised by the Munitions Ministry through its Electric Power Bureau and special committees. There are ten "national-policy companies," one (Nippon Hassoden K.K.) with a virtual monopoly of all electric generation and transmission throughout Japan Proper and nine with regional monopolies on electric distribution. The companies and the governmental agencies work together in planning the construction of new power facilities, scheduling annual production and allocating power regionally. Actual operation is performed by the companies. On the other hand, consumer control and allocation is entirely in the hands of the government, which has been meeting seasonal and local power shortages by an organized priority schedule together with diverse temporary expedients. This document details the government agencies, national policy companies (history and special distribution companies), and sales and consumers (requirements, charges, and wartime consumer control).

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