index

Part 2: Modern era

Chapter 1: People at the end of the Edo period and the Meiji Restoration 2. People of the Meiji Restoration

ITAGAKI Taisuke, 1837-1919

A politician at the end of the Edo period and in the Meiji era. He was from the Tosa Domain. He promoted the anti-Shogunate movement and fought in the Boshin War and became sangi (councilor) in the new government. Colliding with Okubo Toshimichi and his Sympathizers over the Conquer Korea debate, he resigned his post of sangi with Saigo Takamori and others. He submitted a petition calling for the establishment of a national assembly elected by the people and insisted on demands for democratic rights. He established the Jiyu-to (Liberal Party) in 1881 and became a leader. He was attacked by an assassin while canvassing in Gifu City. He was said to have shouted when he was attacked, "Itagaki may die but liberty never will!"

56 Itagaki Taisuke shokan, June 6, 1862 [Modern Japanese Political History Materials Room Collection: 69-1-3]

This letter was written by Itagaki at the Edo hantei (residence maintained by a daimyo in Edo) to Kataoka Kenkichi who was from the same town as Itagaki and was a feudal retainer of the Tosa Domain. In the letter, he says "The rumor that Nagai Uta (feudal retainer in the Choshu Domain) committed suicide by falling on his sword seems to be false." In March 1861, Nagai submitted a petition on the Opening of Japan and kobu gattai (Reconciliation between the Imperial Court and the Shogunate) to the domain lord Mori Takachika which once was adopted as the policy of the Choshu Domain. However, he lost his power due to the objection of the sonno-joi group (lit. the supporters of the doctrine of revering the Emperor and expelling the barbarians) in the domain including Kido Takayoshi, and was ordered to commit suicide by falling on his sword. This letter was written in June 1862 after Nagai had lost his power but before he committed suicide by falling on his sword in February of the following year.

板垣退助書簡

SANJO Sanetomi, 1837-1891

A court noble at the end of the Edo period and in the Meiji era, and also a politician. He planned to reverse the superior-subordinate relationship between the Imperial Court and the Shogunate by impeaching a court noble, Iwakura Tomomi, who supported kobu gattai (Reconciliation between the Imperial Court and the Shogunate), but was defeated by the Kobu gattai group centered on the force of Aizu and Satsuma and escaped to Choshu with other six court nobles (Shichikyo-ochi (decline of Seven nobles)). After the Meiji Restoration, he served as dajo daijin (Grand Minister of State), lord keeper of the Privy Seal, etc.

57 Sanjo Sanetomi shokan, July 9, 1873 [Modern Japanese Political History Materials Room collection: 265-1-2]

This letter was written by Sanjo as dajo daijin (Grand Minister of State) to Iwakura Tomomi as u daijin (Minister of the Right). Iwakura was visiting Europe and the Americas at the time as an extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador leading the delegation. In the letter, Sanjo explains about the situation after the Imperial Palace was burned down. Although the Akasaka Detached Palace was a temporary palace after the Imperial Palace was burnt down on May 5, 1873, it was difficult to maintain dignity inside and outside the country. Sanjo wrote in the letter that when the Imperial Palace was to be rebuilt, residents of foreign Emperors visited by the delegation should be mentioned.

三条実美書簡

IWAKURA Tomomi, 1825-1883

A court noble at the end of the Edo period and in the Meiji era, and also a politician. He first worked for kobu gattai (Reconciliation between the Imperial Court and the Shogunate) but later he joined Satsuma and Choshu's anti-Shogunate group and realized the Restoration of Imperial Rule. He served as consultant and u daijin (Minister of the Right) in the Meiji government. He toured European countries and the Americas leading the "Iwakura Mission" as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. After he returned, he worked on the theory of priority of domestic administration and opposed the Conquer Korea debate.

58 Iwakura Tomomi shokan [Sanjo Family Papers (Letters) 191-49]

This letter was written by Iwakura, who was visiting Europe and the Americas leading the Mission, to Sanjo Sanetomi who was dajo daijin (Grand Minister of State) and was holding the fort. From the date, it seems to have been written in Geneva. It says he only has one more country to visit. It also says he was aghast at the news of the Imperial Palace being burned down and showed concern for Sanjo and others who were facing difficulties. Iwakura left Marseille on July 20th and returned to Japan.

岩倉具視書簡

Prince Arisugawa Taruhito, 1835-1895

Arisugawa-no-miya 9th Imperial Prince. He insisted on the "Revere the Emperor and expel the barbarians" doctrine at the end of the Edo period. He became the president of the Meiji government. He was a commander-in-chief of the government army in the Boshin War and later served as Army General and chief of the general staff.

59 Arisugawanomiya Taruhito shinno shokan, July 24, 1876 [Mutsu Munemitsu Papers: 3-10]

This letter was written by Prince Arisugawa, who was the chairman of the Chamber of Elders, to Mutsu Munemitsu and Yanagiwara Sakimitsu, who were members of the Chamber of Elders. The banquet that is said to have been held at the Shiba Detached Palace with Sanjo Sanetomi, Iwakura Tomomi, Kido Takayoshi, Okubo Toshimichi and Ito Hirobumi, is thought to have been a party held in appreciation of the Emperor Meiji's travel to Tohoku and Hokkaido in 1876.

有栖川宮熾仁親王書簡

SAIGO Takamori, 1827-1877

A politician at the end of the Edo period and in the Meiji era. He was a low-ranking feudal retainer in the Satsuma Domain. He was picked by Shimazu Nariakira, the lord of the Domain, and actively engaged in movements such as supporting Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu as the successor to the Shogun. He concluded the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance through the intermediation of Sakamoto Ryoma. After the Second Choshu Expedition, he became a leader of the anti-Shogunate movement. He also realized the bloodless surrender of Edo Castle. He became sangi (councilor) in the new government but conflicted with Okubo Toshimichi and others over the Conquer Korea debate and resigned. After being defeated in the Satsuma Rebellion, he committed suicide by falling on his sword at Shiroyama. He was one of the "three great leaders of the Meiji Restoration".

60 Saigo Takamori shokan, February 1, 1868 [Makino Nobuaki Papers, Documents: C13]

This letter was written by Saigo to Okubo. In the letter, Saigo is encouraging Okubo to work for early resolution of the Kobe Incident (incident between feudal retainers of the Okayama Domain and foreign soldiers near the foreign settlement in Kobe, and also cases of foreigners being murdered) that happened on January 11, 1868, when the battle of Toba-Fushimi was winding down. The letter shows that Saigo was concerned that the delay in resolution might cause the new government to be looked down on by other countries. Also, a postscript includes the name Earnest Satow, who was an interpreter of the British Minister (later British Minister), indicates that Saigo probably heard about the importance of the early resolution of the said incident from Satow.

西郷隆盛書簡（部分）

（追而書）

61 Saigo Takamori shokan, [Early June 1866] [KAWAKAMI Naonosuke Papers: 20]

A letter, passed down to the present day, in the form of a scroll said to have been addressed by Takamori to Okubo Toshimichi (Ichizo). However, the texture of the paper containing the main body of the letter differs from that containing the date, signature, and addressee. This strongly suggests that the letter was originally intended for someone else and altered ex post to be addressed to Okubo Toshimichi. The Nanshuo shokan no kosho (lit. Inquiry into the Letter of Saigo Takamori), which is also included in the Kawakami Naonosuke papers along with the present material, concludes that this letter was written in early July 1866. In this letter Takamori reports to Iwashita Masahira, chief retainer of the Satsuma Domain on his talks with British minister Harry Smith Parkes, during Parkes's visit to the Satsuma Domain in June 1866.

西郷隆盛書簡

OKUBO Toshimichi, 1830-1878

A politician at the end of the Edo period and in the Meiji era. He was from the Satsuma Domain. He promoted kobu gattai undo (the movement for union of the Imperial Court and the Shogunate) with Saigo Takamori and Iwakura Tomomi, but later he turned to be a leader of the anti-Shogunate movement. In the new government, he carried out hansekihokan (returning of land and people to the Emperor) and haihan-chiken (abolition of feudal domains and establishment of prefectures) and later he became okurakyo (Finance Minister) and also naimukyo (Home Minister). In 1878, he was assassinated by a discontented royalist. He was one of the "three great leaders of the Meiji Restoration" along with Saigo and Kido Takayoshi.

62 Okubo Toshimichi shokan, October 17, 1873 [Sanjo Family Papers, Letters: 279-4]

A prospectus for resignation from sangi (councilor) Okubo submitted to Sanjo Sanetomi, dajo daijin (Grand Minister of State) saying, "The goal for staying in my position cannot be accomplished." Okubo who became sangi according to the requests made by Sanjo, Iwakura Tomomi and others was against the Conquer Korea debate and opposed to sending Saigo Takamori to Yi Dynasty Korea as envoy. However, it was informally decided to send Saigo to Yi Dynasty Korea in the cabinet meeting on October 15, and Okubo submitted a letter of resignation on 17th along with this prospectus. This issue stayed unsolved until the Emperor Meiji accepted the opinion document from Iwakura on 24 and approved the indefinite postponement of sending Saigo. Saigo, losing in the Conquer Korea debate and resigned as sangi, returned to Kagoshima.

大久保利通書簡

63 Okubo Toshimichi shokan, February 7, 1877 [MAKINO Nobuaki Papers, Documents: A4]

A letter addressed to Ito Hirobumi, who was then on official duty in Kyoto accompanying Emperor Meiji on an imperial visit. The letter extends to 4.8 m in length. It pertains, among other matters, to the response going forward to the raid on an ammunition dump by the Kagoshima shigakko (private school) faction in late January, which sparked the Satsuma Rebellion. The letter also argues against the possibility of Saigo Takamori's involvement—citing in painstaking detail his characteristic strict adherence to principles and his reported circumstances. This letter reveals the complicated intermingling between Okubo's unshakable resolve to suppress any uprising against the imperial court, even if it was by fellow Kagoshima natives, and his affection for his comrade Saigo.

大久保利通書簡（冒頭）

末尾（署名部分）

KIDO Takayoshi, 1833-1877

A politician at the end of the Edo period and in the Meiji era. His name was Katsura Kogoro but he changed his family name to Kido. He concluded the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance with Saigo Takamori and planned to overthrow the Shogunate. He participated in creating a draft Charter Oath of Five Articles and promoted hansekihokan (returning of land and people to the Emperor) and haihan-chiken (abolition of feudal domains and establishment of prefectures). He was against the Conquer Korea debate and the Conquer Taiwan debate and became out of the main stream for a while, but he was assigned as sangi (councilor) at the Osaka Conference. He was one of the "three great leaders of the Meiji Restoration".

64 Kido Takayoshi shokan, September 14, 1872 [Inoue Kaoru Papers: 357-1]

This letter was written by Kido, who was visiting Europe and the Americas as a deputy ambassador of the Iwakura Mission, to Inoue Kaoru in Japan. The approximately 7.5-meter-long letter starts with a memoir of hardships and sacrifices during the Meiji Restoration which was followed by criticism of Japan's hasty modernization with no inner policy. He mentions 26-year-old Mori Arinori, who was working in Washington, and says "It is only appearance, with no inner policy". Knowing the hardships during the Meiji Restoration and doing his utmost for establishing a new government, it can be seen that it was hard to tolerate for Kido to accept Mori's behavior, who could easily become critical of the Japanese Government towards a foreign country.

木戸孝允書簡（冒頭）

末尾（署名部分）

SOEJIMA Taneomi, 1828-1905

A politician at the end of the Edo period and in the Meiji era. He was from the Saga Domain. He joined sonno-joi undo (lit. movement to revere the Emperor and expel the barbarians) and became a consultant of the new government. He devoted himself to making a draft of Seitai-sho (Constitution of 1868 or the June Constitution). He served as gaimukyo (Foreign Minister) and held negotiations with Russia over the Karafuto boundary issue, but he was against the Conquer Korea debate and resigned with Itagaki Taisuke, Eto Shimpei and others. Later he served as Privy Councillor and Home Minister of the first Matsukata Cabinet. He is also known as noshoka (master of calligraphy).

65 Soejima Taneomi ikensho, ca. 1871 [Sanjo Family Papers, Documents: 47-6]

A statement written by Soejima concerning a solution for the Karafuto boundary issue between Russia and Japan. It seems to have been submitted to Sanjo Sanetomi, daijo daijin (Grand Minister of State). From the end of the Edo period to the early Meiji era, Karafuto was considered to belong to both Japan and Russia, and people from both countries lived there. However, Russia which wanted to possess the islands by itself sent militaries and exiles, increasing anti-Japanese movement. Soejima was engaged in the Karafuto issue as sangi (councilor) from around 1870 and later as gaimukyo (Foreign Minister). After he resigned due to the Conquer Korea debate, this issue was left unsolved until the Treaty of Saint Petersburg was signed in 1875.

66 Soejima Taneomi shokan, November 20, 1895 [Ito Hirobumi Papers (No.1), Letters: 294-1]

This letter was written by Soejima who was a president of the Toho Kyokai (a study group for studies on foreign countries in the east) to Ito Hirobumi who was Prime Minister. In the letter, Soejima said the proposal made by Toho Kyokai concerning Japan's policy and measures towards the East and the world after the Sino-Japanese War would be submitted. Toho Kyokai was a group formed in 1891 with Soejima, Konoe Atsumaro and others as the center to investigate geography, trade, history, etc., concerning Eastern countries and South Sea Islands. As written in the letter, the proposal appeared on No.16 of Toho kyokai kaiho.

副島種臣書簡