Ishibashi Masakata (石橋政方)
Masakata ISHIBASHI (1840 - 1916) was a Japanese samurai, translator of Dutch, and government official of Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was called Sukejuro in his childhood. He was a great-grandchild of the seventh generation Sukezaemon ISHIBASHI, and the father of a literary person Shian ISHIBASHI.
He did a lot for diplomatic negotiations as an interpreter and translator of English from the last days of the Tokugawa Shogunate to the Meiji era.
Chronological List of the Main Events
1840: Masakata ISHIBASHI was born present-day Nagasaki Prefecture. 1848: He became a Keiko-tsuji (Trainee translator). 1855: He was promoted to Ko-tsuji Masseki (Assistant translator in the lowest rank). 1859: He was transferred to the Kanagawa office. 1864: He was appointed as Gokanjo-kaku Tsuben Goyo Todori (Chief translator of official business in the rank of Gokanjo). 1868: He began to serve the New Government, and after that he successively worked in various posts such as First rank translator of foreign affairs, Major translator of foreign affairs, Provisional junior secretary of the same office, Great secretary of the same office, and so on. 1893: He resigned his government posts.