Kaiganbogyo-goyogakari (a governmental post of the Edo bakufu) (海岸防禦御用掛)
Kaiganbogyo-goyogakari was a governmental post of the Edo bakufu. This post was commonly called "Kaibogakari" as well.
In June 1853, as suggested by the Netherlands, the East-Indian fleet led by Matthew (Calbraith) PERRY, who brought a personal letter from President Millard Fillmore of the United States of America, landed on Uraga and requested the opening of Japan to the world and a conclusion of a treaty through Ujiyoshi TODA, Bugyo (a governmental officer) in Shimoda. Corresponding to this situation, the post of Kaiganbogyo-goyogakari was established, centered on Masahiro ABE, the head of Roju (the second-highest post in the bakufu government), to investigate how the bakufu should defense the nation on the sea.
When Perry's fleet arrived, Ieyoshi TOKUGAWA, the shogun at that time, was dying, so it was impossible to expected of him to execute his political power at the national emergency. Abe abandoned the custom of the dictatorship by Fudai daimyo (daimyo who had belonged to the Tokugawa group from before the Sekigawara war) and Hatamoto (direct retainers of the bakufu) centered on Shogun, recommended Nariaki TOKUGAWA, the lord of the Mito domain, to assume the coastal defense officer and made an inquiry about the matter to daimyo and Bakufu-yushi (officers of the bakufu), and informed the Imperial court of the arrival of Perry's fleet. Furthermore, he restored Kaibogakari, and appointed the following persons to Kaiganbogyo-goyogakari. In addition, to investigate coastal defense measures to be taken by the bakufu, he had Chudayu TODA and Toko FUJITA, both confidants of Nariakira, participated in Kaiganbogyo-goyogakari as well and appointed Tatewaki AJIMA, also at the Mito domain and a younger brother of Chudayu TODA, to the secretary of Kaiganbogyo-goyogakari.
Toshiakira KAWAJI
Tadanori MIZUNO (additionally a kanjo-bugyo (a post in charge of finance) officer)
Yorimune TOKI (additionally an Ometuske (a post of inspectors) officer)
Masanori TSUTSUI (additionally an Ometuske (a post of inspectors) officer)
Naoyuki NAGAI (additionally a Metsuke (also a post of inspectors) officer)
Tadanari IWASE (additionally (a Metsuke officer and a Kattegakari (a post in charge of finance) officer)
Tadahiro OKUBO (additionally a Metsuke officer)
Hidetatsu EGAWA
The members of Kaibogakari, including Nariaki TOKUGAWA, submitted coastal defense measures actively to the bakufu. However, in the next year, Masayoshi HOTTA, who had become the head of Roju replacing Abe, concluded the Japan-U.S. Treaty of Peace and Amity with the United States. Angered by the situation, Nariaki TOKUGAWA resigned from the coastal defense officer, ending the mission of Kaibogakari of the bakufu.
It is said that the political method in which many daimyo and many retainers of domains were allowed to participate in the governmental operations of the bakufu gave a foothold for daimyo and the Imperial court to get involved in the center of the politics, which led to the collapse of the shogun-based feudal system.