Changes

*''Other Names'': 市来正右衛門 ''(Ichiki Shouemon)''

*''Other Names'': 市来正右衛門 ''(Ichiki Shouemon)'', 広貫 ''(Kôkan)''

*''Japanese'': [[市来]]四郎 ''(Ichiki Shirou)''

*''Japanese'': [[市来]]四郎 ''(Ichiki Shirou)''

Ichiki Shirô was a retainer to [[Satsuma han]] who played a central role in the [[Makishi-Onga Incident]], operating secretly at the orders of [[Shimazu Nariakira]] to replace key officials in the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryukyuan government]] with those of a pro-Nariakira faction, and to pursue certain diplomatic & trade arrangements with Western powers, including, chiefly, in order to obtain arms and warships from the French.

Ichiki Shirô was a retainer to [[Satsuma han]] who played a prominent role in a number of events pertaining to [[Shimazu Nariakira|Shimazu Nariakira's]] policies and activities in the [[Bakumatsu period]].

 

One such event was the [[Makishi-Onga Incident]], in which Ichiki operated secretly at Nariakira's orders to replace key officials in the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryukyuan government]] with those of a pro-Nariakira faction, and to pursue certain diplomatic & trade arrangements with Western powers, including, chiefly, in order to obtain arms and warships from the French.

Nariakira sent Ichiki to the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]] in autumn [[1857]] to arrange for Ryûkyû to establish trade relations with the French and [[VOC|Dutch]]; since Ryûkyû was outside of the ''bakuhan'' (i.e. [[Tokugawa shogunate|shogunate]]+[[han|domains]]) realm, i.e. outside of "Japan," but was under the control of Satsuma, this would provide Satsuma its own separate access to foreign trade and diplomatic relations. Ichiki arrived in [[Naha]] on 1857/10/10, and met with members of the [[Sanshikan]] (the three top-ranking royal advisors) on 11/3. He conveyed to them seven instructions from Nariakira: (1) that Ryûkyû should arrange for Dutch or French trade either at [[Amami Oshima|Amami Ôshima]] or [[Yamakawa]]<ref>Both of these places were under the direct control of Satsuma, not Ryûkyû, so it seems an odd request.</ref>; (2) that Ryûkyû should arrange to purchase steamship warships from the French, for Satsuma's use; (3) that Ryukyuan students should be sent to the US, Britain, and France to study modern forms of government, industry, and military matters; (4) that an anchorage should be built on [[Taiwan]] for Ryukyuan ships traveling to China<ref>This also would have been outside of the jurisdiction of Ryukyuan authorities, though it is potentially conceivable that Ryûkyû could have secured this arrangement through discussion with Beijing.</ref>; (5) that the [[Ryukyu-kan|Liuqiuguan]] in [[Fuzhou]] should be expanded, and trade with China also expanded; (6) that Ryûkyû should get involved in the Chinese arms trade; and (7) that [[Zakimi Morihiro]] should be dismissed from the Sanshikan.

Nariakira sent Ichiki to the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]] in autumn [[1857]] to arrange for Ryûkyû to establish trade relations with the French and [[VOC|Dutch]]; since Ryûkyû was outside of the ''bakuhan'' (i.e. [[Tokugawa shogunate|shogunate]]+[[han|domains]]) realm, i.e. outside of "Japan," but was under the control of Satsuma, this would provide Satsuma its own separate access to foreign trade and diplomatic relations. Ichiki arrived in [[Naha]] on 1857/10/10, and met with members of the [[Sanshikan]] (the three top-ranking royal advisors) on 11/3. He conveyed to them seven instructions from Nariakira: (1) that Ryûkyû should arrange for Dutch or French trade either at [[Amami Oshima|Amami Ôshima]] or [[Yamakawa]]<ref>Both of these places were under the direct control of Satsuma, not Ryûkyû, so it seems an odd request.</ref>; (2) that Ryûkyû should arrange to purchase steamship warships from the French, for Satsuma's use; (3) that Ryukyuan students should be sent to the US, Britain, and France to study modern forms of government, industry, and military matters; (4) that an anchorage should be built on [[Taiwan]] for Ryukyuan ships traveling to China<ref>This also would have been outside of the jurisdiction of Ryukyuan authorities, though it is potentially conceivable that Ryûkyû could have secured this arrangement through discussion with Beijing.</ref>; (5) that the [[Ryukyu-kan|Liuqiuguan]] in [[Fuzhou]] should be expanded, and trade with China also expanded; (6) that Ryûkyû should get involved in the Chinese arms trade; and (7) that [[Zakimi Morihiro]] should be dismissed from the Sanshikan.