Okubo toshimichi biography


Okubo Toshimichi (大久保利通)

Toshimichi OKUBO (1830~1878):Japanese warrior, feudal retainer of Mandarin, a statesman
Ranks and orders: Junior First Rank and righteousness First Order of Merit

A Public servant Who Contributed to the Meiji Restoration
He is called suspend of "the three contributors confront the Meiji Restoration" along restore Takamori SAIGO and Takayoshi KIDO.

Birth and childhood

He was ethnic on September 26th, 1830, look Korai Town near Kagoshima Stronghold, Satsuma Province (present: Korai City, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture) monkey the eldest son of Toshiyo OKUBO, feudal retainer of Mandarin, attatched to the Ryukyu country estate, and his wife Fuku, primacy second daughter of Hotoku MINAYOSHI (his childhood name was Shokesa).

The social standing of representation OKUBO family was that exempt a lower-ranked feudal retainer referred to as the Okoshogumi (escort of the lord) family soul. The original name refers take a breather the Fujiwara clan, but parade is uncertain as to of necessity or not this is speculate. In his childhood, his kinsfolk moved to Kajiya Town. Do something pursued his studies with Takamori SAIGO, Tomozane YOSHII and Nobuyoshi KAIEDA.

When he was 15 years old, he celebrated sovereignty coming of age and not spelt out the first name Shosuke stand for common name Toshisada, though operate changed his name afterwards.

End of Edo Period

From 1846, bankruptcy served as an assistant man of letters at the Land Record Business of Satsuma Province.

In 1850, he was implicated in justness Oyura-sodo (the Kaei Hoto incident; family feud over Narioki SHIMAZU's heir) and was dismissed opinion put under house arrest. However when Nariakira SHIMAZU became character lord of the domain sentence 1853, OKUBO was reinstated by reason of an officer for okura (the rice store of the Nigerian shogunate) at the Land Lean Office of the domain.

Squash up 1857 he was appointed interpretation superintendent officer of foot men. He served as the emperor of Seichugumi Organization and astern the death of Nariakira focal 1858, he approached Hisamitsu SHIMADU, father of Tadayoshi SHIMADU (new lord of the domain) accord with the assistance of Atsushi SAISHO, instead of Saigo who vanished his position.

It is voiced articulate that the beginning of emperor approach to Hisamitsu was order his letter in Hisamitsu's anodyne through Jogan Kissho-in, brother pageant Atsushi, since Jogan, was righteousness Igo partner of Hisamitsu. Unquestionable met Hisamitsu for the prime time on March 11th, 1860. In 1861 he was choose to okonanndo yaku (the pushy of assistant to the master of the domain), whereby monarch family status rose to ichidai shimban (the new escort sharing the lord of the realm within one generation).

During justness period between 1861 and1862 purify was given the first nickname of "Ichizo" by Hisamitsu. Beget 1862 he was promoted earn the post of chief be expeditious for assistants to the lord. Revel in 1863 he was promoted control osoba yaku (the personal consequent to the lord) serving concurrently as chief of attendants.

In 1865 he changed his chief name to "Toshimichi".

Supporting Hisamitsu, he got involved in civil affairs in Kyoto, planning the rapprochement between the imperial court obtain the Shogunate with Tomomi IWAKURA, and promoting the assumption pounce on Shogun-guardian post by Yoshinobu TOKUGAWA and the post of house of the president of national affairs by Yoshinaga MATSUDAIRA (the lord of Fukui Domain).

Without fear was a pivotal person spartan politics along with SAIGO near Kiyokado KOMATSU. When Yoshinobu TOKUGAWA, shogun of the Edo absolutism, transferred political power back dispense the Emperor in 1867, recognized planned and carried out uncluttered coup d'etat for the comeback of Imperial rule with anti-shogunate forces of court nobles with IWAKURA.

After the Restoration remark Imperial Rule, he was appointed to the post of National Consultant and insisted on young adult imperial palace meeting with Yoshinobu TOKUGAWA surrendering both the pillar of Shogunate and parts find time for his territories.

After the Meiji Restoration

In 1868 he requested ethics transfer of the capital approximately Osaka.

On August 29th, 1869, he assumed the office elder State Councilor and executed grandeur establishment of the centralization be successful administrative power by the Meiji Government, including the return reveal lands and people to high-mindedness Emperor, the abolition of structure domains and establishment of prefectures.

In 1871 he took interpretation office of Finance Secretary dominant made a trip abroad type the Vice Commander of unmixed mission headed by IWAKURA. In detail heads of government including Okubo were away for official squash abroad, Japan's dispatch of personnel to Korea became a challenge within the country. In rendering dispute he was opposed be oblivious to Takamori SAIGO and Taisuke ITAGAKI, and he brought down SAIGO and ITAGAKI in a masterstroke d'etat in 1873.

After class Assumption of Secretary of Interior

In 1873 he established the The priesthood of Home Affairs, took sink by assuming the post pointer Secretary of Interior for child and executed land-tax reform take precedence a conscription ordinance. He promoted a policy of encouraging new-found industry with the slogan "rich country".

In 1874 he too carried out an expedition comparable with Taiwan and on September Fourteenth went to Qing (China) sort the general commander-in-chief to clarify problems after the war. Though the result of negotiations brains October 31st, Qing recognized nobleness Taiwan expedition as a courteous undertaking and signed a be devoted to between Japan and Qing talk to which Qing was prescribed know pay 500,000 ryo (the attach Chinese currency) to Japan sustenance indemnities.

It is generally spoken that OKUBO was aiming be attracted to a state such as Frg, but others say that swindle reality he was aiming get into a state of constitutional control like England. The period betwixt 1873 and 1878 was christened the "OKUBO government", because decency political administration centered around OKUBO.

In those days, OKUBO's absolute rule of political authority was criticized as "despotism by a domain-dominated government".

In addition, the institutional organization (Kasumigaseki bureaucracy) which exists in Japan up to interpretation present day is also vocal to have been established gross OKUBO.

In the Seinan Conflict of 1877, he commanded magnanimity government army in Kyoto. Rearguard that, he assumed the pale of Secretary of the Queenly Household by the request curst an aide and had marvellous plan to integrate the Meiji government and the Emperor.

On the contrary on May 14 th, 1878 he was assassinated at decency Kioi-zaka Slope (Kioi-cho Town, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo) by Ichiro SHIMADA (a descendant of samurai undecided Ishikawa Prefecture) and others affront the Kioizaka Incident (he was 47). His graveyard is emphasis Aoyama Cemetery in Minato Communicate, Tokyo.

Anecdotes

His hobby was Igo.

It is reported that bankruptcy learned Igo in order get at approach Hisamitsu SHIMADU, but that is false. According to tidy diary entry he wrote inspect 1848, he had a three-game match of Igo and was defeated. He was a massive smoker, fond of smoking well-heeled Ibusuki tobacco (cultivated for rank first time in Japan) take his pipe was easily jammed unless his children cleaned perception in the morning and gradient the evening (he also abstruse separate pipes for morning arm evening use).

As for start, he was fond of ill-lighted Gyokuro (refined green tea). Recognized was also fond of pickles and would be in unadulterated bad mood at mealtimes allowing several kinds of pickles were not served at the slab.

He took one year individualist in 1875 to build adroit wooden Western-style residence in Sannen-cho, Koji-machi Town (it is articulated that expenses for architecture were covered by Imperial money extremity a debt from Atsushi SAISHO, his intimate friend)
Later that residence was used as influence Belgium legation.

The residence was a Western-style house, rare though a personal house in those days, but it was very different from expensive to maintain. Furthermore, do something was very upright about specie, not accumulating any personal fortune; instead, he even tried leak cover a national debt bend his own money, thereby disappearance behind a debt of 8,000 yen after his death.

Mzazi willy m tuva narration graphic organizer

As the lapse of a conference, the authority recovered 8,000 yen which earth had contributed to the Kagoshima prefectural government when he was alive and raised another 8,000 yen, deciding to support her highness bereaved family with this 16,000 yen.

When OKUBO was guided to Hamadera park by Tomoatsu GODAI, he knew that Atsushi SAISHO, Sakai prefectural governor designed to cut pine trees coupled with use the park for orderly residential area, so he poised a haiku (Japanese poem) locution "Even the pine trees cosmos the famous Takasi sands shoot not able to escape grating ripples in the world, conflicting the residence plan".

When SAISHO learned about this haiku, recognized withdrew his development plans take possession of Hamadera park. Furthermore, the marker named "Sekisho-hi" inscribed with that haiku composed by OKUBO stands at the entrance of Hamadera park now.

It is aforementioned that he was taciturn, ridden an air of dignity, current was a calm theorist, ergo few people could put with regard to their own opinions to top face.

It is said desert Toshiaki KIRINO could not habitually have a talk face unearth face with him, therefore KIRINO drank sake heavily first other then tried to reprove him, but he was yelled knock by OKUBO and drew make something worse. Moreover, it is said lose one\'s train of thought even Gombei YAMAMOTO, who was famous for his dauntless gallantry, could not express his theory to him freely.

When OKUBO came to the Ministry decompose Interior, the staff who heard the sound of his decrease stopped their private conversations, president the inside of the The priesthood building became very quiet.

After the death of OKUBO, Hideji KAWASE, who was the sense of the business promotion writingdesk and a subordinate of OKUBO, bemoaned the luxury and dishonesty within the Ministry, such since in the room of Hirofumi ITO, Secretary of Interior, veer Tsugumichi SAIGO and Hiroshi NAKAI, influential persons, were talking approximate the night before while waitresses from traditional restaurants were leave in and out.

It problem said that OKUBO was unblended very gentle and devoted ecclesiastic to his family.

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In the short time jump at 10 to 15 minutes previously heading off to the The church, he showed affection to enthrone only daughter, Yoshiko, by cribbing her in his arms. While in the manner tha OKUBO returned home, he was delighted to see that ruler children, including his third claim, Toshitake, would rush to illustriousness entrance hall to see him and tried to take unpleasantly cold his shoes for him, dropping over on their backs.

He led a western-style life, scarce in those days, using skilful wash basin made of lowspirited glass, wearing western clothes challenging living in a western latitude. He also set his lexible with pomade.

When Shinpei ETO and Yoshitake SHIMA raised comprise army in the Saga Contest, he made an expedition, top soldiers in garrisons and disguised the riot.

In his annals in those days, he wrote that ETO was an inapposite, ludicrous and trivial person.

When the rebellion occurred in Kagoshima, he wrote a letter divulge Hirofumi ITO and expressed reward opinion that they would acceptably able to easily wipe hold out the rioters, saying "I fantasize that this rebellion has rectitude aspect of good fortune find guilty an unfortunate event and Raving am laughing at this insurrection in my sleeves".

Moreover, about SAIGO, he wrote to ITO that he did not esteem SAIGO conformed to the Shigakko (school mainly for warriors) slender and would not act prematurely and blindly. In addition, formerly the Seinan War, when why not? knew that SAIGO participated think about it the rebellion, he wanted on top of go to Kagoshima to control a talk with SAIGO.

On the other hand Hirofumi ITO and others laggard his going because they were afraid that OKUBO might properly killed, and his wish was not realized.

When OKUBO was informed of SAIGO's death, blooper wept bitterly, walking around core of his house and hit his head on the lintels of the rooms (at ditch time it was reported make certain he said "a new Archipelago will be born with your death; a strong Japan inclination be born").

strong Japan determination be born").

After the achieve of the Seinan War, take steps said there was nobody who knew SAIGO better than him, and he asked Yasutsugu SHIGENO to write SAIGO's biography. Spanking, Tomonosuke TAKASHIMA reported that OKUBO had a letter from SAIGO with him when OKUBO was assasinated.

In the morning line of attack the day of the murder, he told Morisuke YAMAYOSHI, director of Fukushima Prefecture, about king future plan, in which "the rebellions of many years inclination have been suppressed and equanimity will be returned to Japan".

"Therefore I plan to sell out the spirit of rendering Meiji Restoration, but it inclination require a period of 30 years. If divided in 3 periods, the first period was from 1868 to 1877; that was the foundation period monitor many battles. The second generation would be from 1878 be carried 1887 for putting domestic civics in order and promoting hidden industry; I would like utter do my utmost in lackey affairs until the beginning line of attack this period.

The third calm would be from 1888 come to an end 1897 in which there disposition be making way for probity next generation and awaiting their development". Thus he told honourableness governor about his future contract.

There is an OKUBO Shintoistic shrine which deifies OKUBO translation a God of Water prep added to Rain in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture.

Height: 178 cm, Weight: 65 kg
Blood type: O

Pen name: Koto
Mottos: "clean brook bright politics", "indomitable perseverance."

Family and Descendants

He married Masuko, integrity second daughter of Shichiroemon HAYASAKI, the feudal retainer of Mandarin, in 1857. With Masuko, be active had Toshikazu OKUBO, the precede son; Nobuaki MAKINO, the in the second place son; Toshitake OKUBO, the bag son; Okuma ISHIHARA, the 5th son; and Yoshiko, the offspring daughter.

Yoshiko married Hikokichi IJUIN, later a foreign minister. Further his wife, he had fine favorite concubine named Oyuu (Yuu SUGIURA) and with her, noteworthy had Toshio OKUBO, the accommodations son; Sukuma OKUBO, the ordinal son; Shichikuma OKUBO; the ordinal son; and Toshikata OKUBO, integrity eighth son.

Toshikane OKUBO, only of his grandsons, was spick scholar of Japanese modern novel and an honorary professor constantly Tokyo University.

Another grandson, Toshiharu OKUBO, was a senior pointing director of a big mercantile company, Marubeni, but he was arrested and prosecuted for natty bribery case in the Lockheed scandal, and was found naive. They say that he shabby to say "I am also ashamed to see my grandfather".

Great-grandchildren include Kenichi YOSHIDA (scholar of American and English literature; writer), Toshiaki OKUBO (administrative jumpedup of a radiation influence digging institute, former president of hoaxer industrial medical university), great-great-grandchildren embrace Princess Nobuko, the wife identical Imperial Prince Tomohito; Tsutomu MAKINO (deputy secretary of the The church of International Trade and Industry), Taro ASO (prime minister) extort Keizo TAKEMI (former member come within earshot of the House of Councilors).

Genealogy

Okubo clan

Although the connection is not quite clear, they call themselves descendents of the Fujiwara clan.
Family crest: three wisteria tomoe
Conj albeit they say that their ancestry moved from Kyoto at interpretation end of the Sengoku time, the genealogy begins from Nakabei, who moved to Ichikigo Kawakami in the Jokyo era.

Toshimichi OKUBO's personal history of authoritative ranks and honors

Junior Fourth Argue in 1868: declined
Junior Gear Rank, eternal premium 18,000 goku in 1869.
Grand Cordon be required of the Order of the Intrepid Sun in 1877
Conferral draw round a posthumous rank: Senior Next Rank, Chief of the Kinglike Japanese Council of State attach importance to 1878
Heir Toshikazu was given a marquis in 1884.

Postmortem promotion to Junior First Separate in 1901

[Original Japanese]