Ōkubo Toshimichi
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Ōkubo Toshimichi (大久保 利通 Ōkubo Toshimichi?);, (10 August 1830 – 14 May 1878), was a Japanese statesman, a samurai of Satsuma, and one of the three great nobles who led the Meiji Restoration. He is regarded as one of the main founders of modern Japan.
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[edit] Early life
Ōkubo was born in Kagoshima, Satsuma Province, (present-day Kagoshima Prefecture) to Ōkubo Juemon a low-ranking retainer of Satsuma daimyo Shimazu Nariakira. He was the eldest of five children. He studied at the same local school with Saigō Takamori, who was three years older. In 1846, he was given the position of aide to the domain's achivist.
[edit] Satsuma samurai
Shimazu Nariakira recognized Ōkubo's talents and appointed him to the position of tax administrator in 1858. When Shimazu Nariakira died, Ōkubo took up the plot to overthrow the Tokugawa bakufu. However, unlike most Satsuma leaders, he favored the kobu gattai (reconciliation between the Imperial Court and the Shogun), over the Sonno joi movement. The Anglo-Satsuma War of 1863, along with the Richardson Affair and the September 1863 coup d'etat in Kyoto convinced Ōkubo that the kobu gattai movement was doomed. In 1866, he met with Saigō Takamori and Chōshū domain's Kido Takayoshi to form the secret Satcho Alliance to overthrow the Tokugawa.
[edit] Meiji restoration
On 3 January 1868, the forces of Satsuma and Chōshū seized the Kyoto Imperial Palace and proclaimed the Meiji Restoration. The triumvirate of Ōkubo, Saigō and Kido formed a provisional government. As Finance Minister in 1871, Ōkubo enacted a Land Tax Reform, prohibited samurai from wearing swords in public, and ended official discrimination against the outcasts. In foreign relations, he worked to secure revision of the unequal treaties and joined the Iwakura Mission on its around-the-world trip of 1871-1873.
Realizing that Japan was not in any position to challenge the western powers in its new present state, Ōkubo returned to Japan on September 13, 1873 just in time to prevent an invasion of Korea (Seikanron).
Appointed to be Home Minister, Ōkubo had a huge amount of power through his control of all local government appointments and the police force. He also used the power of the Home Ministry to promote industrial development. He also participated in the Osaka Conference of 1875 in an attempt to bring about a reconciliation with the other members of the Meiji oligarchy.
However, he was unable to win over former colleague Saigō Takamori. In the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877, the Satsuma rebels under the leadership of Saigō fought against the new government conscript army under command of Home Minister Ōkubo. With the defeat of the Satsuma forces, Ōkubo was considered a traitor by his domain and many of the former samurai. On 14 May 1878, he was assassinated by Shimada Ichirō and six Satsuma samurai while on his way to Tokyo.
[edit] Legacy
Ōkubo was one of the most influential leaders of the Meiji Restoration and the establishment of modern governmental structures. Albeit briefly, for a time he was the most powerful man in Japan. A devout loyalist and nationalist, he enjoyed the respect of his colleagues and enemies alike.
[edit] In literature
In the Manga/Anime Series Rurouni Kenshin, Ōkubo appears to seek Himura Kenshin's assistance in destroying the threat posed by the revolt of Shishio Makoto. Kenshin is uncertain, and Ōkubo gives him a May 14 deadline to make his decision. On his way to seek Kenshin's answer on that day, he is assassinated by Seta Sōjirō, Shishio's right-hand boy, and the Ichirō clan merely stabs his corpse.
In Boris Akunin's novel, "The Diamond Chariot," Erast Fandorin investigates the plot to assassinate Ōkubo, but fails to prevent the assassination.
[edit] References
- Beasley, W. G. The Rise of Modern Japan: Political, Economic and Social Change Since 1850. St. Martin's Press, New York 1995.
- Iwata, Masukazu. Okubo Toshimichi: The Bismarck of Japan. University of California Press (1964). ASIN: B000FFQUIG
- Jansen, Marius B. and Gilbert Rozman, eds. Japan in Transition: From Tokugawa to Meiji. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1986.
