Eitaro Suzuki (1894–1966) was the first to establish systematic rural sociology in Japan. He entered Tokyo Imperial University and studied state theory under Togo Takebe. However, due to differences with Takebe, he transferred to Kyoto Imperial University for graduate studies, where he studied under Shotaro Yoneda. In 1925, he obtained his first position at Gifu Higher School of Agriculture and Forestry (now Gifu University). Having translated works on state theory by Spencer and Hobson, his interest lay in theoretical methods of analyzing the state. However, he was also interested in whether these analytical methods could be applied to actual real-world problems. Encouraged by the principal of Gifu Higher School of Agriculture and Forestry to research rural communities, he also studied American rural sociology literature. In this way, Suzuki narrowed his focus to Japanese rural society as a practical subject for testing his methodology. Then in 1940, he published his monumental work Principles of Japanese Rural Sociology (Suzuki, Nihon Noson Shakaigaku Genri [Principles of Japanese Rural Sociology], Jichosha, 1940).