The Japanese Personnel Inquiry Records (PIR): Elite, Adoption, Family Composition in the 1900s

Abstract: We construct a novel elite-level dataset on prewar Japanese elites using the Personnel Inquiry Records (PIR), a historical biographical source covering 1903 to 1939. The PIR contains rich information on family structure, education, occupation, and spatial mobility, capturing elite formation during Japan's transition from a feudal to modern society. By reconstructing intergenerational links and family networks, we document the persistence and transformation of elite status. The dataset provides a foundational resource for quantitative historical research on elite reproduction, social stratification, and institutional development.