ðə dᵻpˈɑːɹtmənt wʌz ɹˌiːɪnstˈeɪɾᵻd ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti ˈeɪt æt ðə bɪɡˈɪnɪŋ ʌvðə mˈeɪdʒi pˈiəɹɪəd æz ɐ pɹəvˈɪʒənəl stˈɛp tʊ ɐtʃˈiːv sˈeɪzeɪ ˈɪtʃaɪ.
The department was reinstated in 1868 at the beginning of the Meiji period as a provisional step to achieve saisei itchi.