In 1875, the Meiji Government abolished at a stroke complicated regulations concerning sakekabu which the Edo bakufu had implemented, simplified the taxation rule for alcoholic beverages by implementing a dual system of brewing and trading taxes, and issued an order to allow anyone with brewing techniques and capital to brew sake freely.
明治8年（1875年）、明治政府は、江戸幕府が定め複雑に入り組んだ酒株に関する規制を一挙に撤廃し、酒類の税則を醸造税と営業税の二本立てに簡略化して、醸造技術と資本のある者ならば誰でも自由に酒造りができるように法令を発した。