Numa MorikazuShuichi (沼間守一)
Morikazu/Shuichi NUMA (January 21, 1844 - May 17, 1890) was a Shogun's retainer-turned- statesman, and a journalist. His pen name was Master of Fujihoro, Roka.
Biography
In 1843, he was born the second child to Shogun's retainer Sendayu TAKANASHI in Ushigome, Edo. His childhood name was Shinjiro.
He became an adopted child of Heirokuro NUMA in 1849. He learned the Chinese classics from Shinsai SUGIHARA, a Confucian scholar.
In 1859, at the age of 17, he accompanied his adoptive father, who was installed as a staff member of Nagasaki magistrate, and learned British studies from an English man named Zellar ゼラール.
In 1861, after coming back to Edo, he learned naval engineering from Ko YATABORI, the Secretary of the Navy. In the same year, he entered James Curtis Hepburn's school in Yokohama (present-day Meiji Gakuin) by the bakufu's order.
He preferred English (strategy) to medical science.
In 1865, he entered Bakufu Rikugun Denshujo (the bakufu's military school). He learned French strategy from a French military officer named Chanoine and others.
He was promoted from Onsashizuyaku Todori 御指図役頭取 (a rank equivalent to a captain or a troop commander) to Hohei Gashira nami (equivalent to a major or a battalion commander). He trained about 1,500 men as a captain of the Second Denshutai (Edo shogunate's army).
In January 1868, he was appoointed Hohei bugyo nami (a deputy chief of infantry department). In March, he fled to Aizu with his brother Tokiichiro SUDO accompanied by approximately 20 officers. He organaized Yugekitai (a musket troops) in the Aizu Domain. He left Aizu in April and fought against Seigun (Western Army) led by Taisuke ITAGAKI in the Nikko region with Keisuke OTORI. In July, he returned to Aizu to instruct Yugekitai and moved to the Shonai Domain in late July to train peasant soldiers. When the Shonai Domain surrendered in September, he was escorted to Edo in December.
He composed a haiku (a Japanese poem in 17 syllables) saying, "Alas! We have only 60 domains on our side; This dawn of the year"
In 1869, after released, he established an English school in Setomono-cho, Nihonbashi; however, he was suspected that 'he gathers people to plot for the downfall of the government' and arrested for a while. In May, he became the soldiers' instructor of the residence of Tosa Domain and probably taught them English; however, this is only a recollection after the Meiji period, so there is little in the records regarding the matter of English.
In July 1871, after Haihan-chiken (abolition of the feudal domains and establishment of prefectures), he left the residence of Tosa Domain. He carried on the raw silk trade and the money-exchange business for a year in Yokohama. Because of 'an amateurish way of doing business,' he was burdened by a deficit.
In April 1872, he entered the service of a seventh grade official of Bureau of Taxation by the recommendation of Okura no taifu (a senior assistant minister of the Ministry of Treasury) Kaoru INOUE and worked at Yokohama Customs. In July, as Inoue found it difficult to deal with Numa, who delighted in causing trouble, he recommended Numa to Shinpei ETO of Ministry of Justice. He entered the service of a seventh grade official of Ministry of Justice. He was assigned to Europe and visited various countries.
At the time, he probably changed his name from Shinjiro to 'Morikazu' (or he possibly changed his name in 1869). He returned to Japan in September 1873. In November, he was promoted to a sixth grade official of Ministry of Justice. He established Horitsu Koshukai, the predecessor of Omeisha (a political organization) with his friends.
In February 1874, he was appointed Sho-hanji (Second assistant to the Chief Judge).
In May 1875, he was appointed a fifth grade Judge assigned to Osaka Court; however, he rejected it. In July, he became Gon no Daishokikan 権大書記官 (Provisional Great Secretary) of the Chamber of Elders by the recommendation of Togama KONO. In September, to investigate the Tsuruoka Incident, he was sent to the said prefecture. In November, he returned to Tokyo.
In 1877, he held 'a speech meeting for recruiting volunteer soldiers' for the Seinan War.
In 1878, he changed the name of Horitsu Koshukai to Omeisha.
In 1879, he submitted his resignation to the Chamber of Elders and worked on alternate days basis; however, he quit his post because government officials were prohibited to make a speech on politics in August. In October, "Omei Zasshi" (a bulletin) was first published. On November 18, he purchased Yokohama Mainichi Shinbun (Yokohama Daily Newspaper) and opened a main office of Tokyo Yokohama Mainichi Shinbun in Nishikonya-cho, Kyobashi Ward, Tokyo. In November, he was elected as a member of Tokyo Prefecture Assembly.
On January 23, 1880, he was elected as Vice-Chairman at an extraordinary session of Tokyo Prefecture Assembly. In December, he joined the organizing committee for the Liberal Party (Meiji).
In March 1881, he became an organizing committee member of the Liberal Party in charge of Kokkai Kisei Domei (League for Founding a National Assembly). In August, he reported in the Tokyo Yokohama Mainichi Shinbun that a bill for the sale of property belonging to the Hokkaido Development Agency was approved. On August 25, he held a large-scale speech meeting 'to oppose the sale of property belonging to the Hokkaido Development Agency' at the Shintomi-za Theater. From September to November, he made a speaking tour in the Tokai and Tohoku regions; however, he contracted a brain disease during the tour.
In April 1882, when the Constitutional Progressive Party was established, he joined it with a party of Omeisha. In July, as the Constitutional Progressive Party was designated as a political organization, he dissolved Omeisha. In July, he was elected as Chairman of Tokyo Prefecture Assembly.
In December 1884, he opposed the dissolution of the Consitutional Progressive Party; however, leading members such as Shigenobu OKUMA and Togama KONO left the party. Numa defended the party alone.
In September 1887, a joint mass meeting of the former Liberal Party and the Constitutional Progressive Party called 'Daido Danketsu Taikai' was held at Ibumuraro (a big restaurant) in Asakusa. He clashed with bravoes of Toru HOSHI's party and was seriously injured.
In May 1888, he established Kokokusha (an advertising agency) (Seiji YUZAWA assumed the position of President later). On February11, 1889, he attended the ceremony of promulgation of the Constitution of the Empire of Japan as Chairman of Tokyo Prefecture Assembly.
As his brain disease accompanied pneumonia in May 1890, he died. His Kaimyo (posthumous Buddhist name) was Eikoin Soshu Ikkan Daikoji 英光院操守一貫大居士.