Ministry of Justice (pre-modern Japan)

Premodern Japan
Part of a series on the politics and government of Japan during the Nara and Heian periods
Daijō-kan (Council of State)
Chancellor / Chief Minister	Daijō-daijin
Minister of the Left	Sadaijin
Minister of the Right	Udaijin
Minister of the Center	Naidaijin
Major Counselor	Dainagon
Middle Counselor	Chūnagon
Minor Counselor	Shōnagon
Eight Ministries
Center	Nakatsukasa-shō
Ceremonial	Shikibu-shō
Civil Administration	Jibu-shō
Popular Affairs	Minbu-shō
War	Hyōbu-shō
Justice	Gyōbu-shō
Treasury	Ōkura-shō
Imperial Household	Kunai-shō

The Ministry of Justice (刑部省, Gyōbu-shō, lit. "department of penal affairs") was a division of the eighth century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto, instituted in the Asuka period and formalized during the Heian period. The Ministry was replaced in the Meiji period.

The nature of the ministry was modified in response to changing times. The ambit of the Gyōbu-shō activities encompassed, for example:

The duties, responsibilities and focus of the ministry evolved over time. The ritsuryō system of laws were interpreted and applied by bureaucracies which distinguished punishment (gyōbushō) and censorship (danjodai). These were merged in 1871 when the Ministry of Justice (司法省, shihōshō) was established under the Constitution of the Empire of Japan.

The Ministry of Justice brought together a judiciary and penal system management.

The top ritsuryō officials within this ministry structure were: