Changes

==Life and career==

==Life and career==

Ôta was born in [[Shuri]], and in 1882 became one of the first Okinawan students in the [[Meiji period]] to be awarded a scholarship to study in [[Tokyo]]<ref name=jinmei>"Ōta Chōfu." ''Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten'' (沖縄歴史人名事典, "Encyclopedia of People in Okinawan History"). Naha: Okinawa Bunka-sha, 2002. p15.</ref><ref>The other four students who received the same scholarship opportunity at this time all became prominent leaders and important Okinawan historical figures. These four men were [[Jahana Noboru]], [[Takamine Chokyo|Takamine Chôkyô]], [[Nakijin Choban|Nakijin Chôban]] and [[Kishimoto Gasho|Kishimoto Gashô]].</ref>. After studying at Gakushûin and Keiô Universities, he returned to Okinawa in 1893, and helped found the ''Ryûkyû Shimpô''.

Ôta was born in [[Shuri]], and in 1882 became one of the first Okinawan students in the [[Meiji period]] to be awarded a scholarship to study in [[Tokyo]]<ref name=jinmei>"Ōta Chōfu." ''Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten'' (沖縄歴史人名事典, "Encyclopedia of People in Okinawan History"). Naha: Okinawa Bunka-sha, 2002. p15.</ref><ref>The other four students who received the same scholarship opportunity at this time all became prominent leaders and important Okinawan historical figures. These four men were [[Jahana Noboru]], [[Takamine Chokyo|Takamine Chôkyô]], [[Nakijin Choshin|Nakijin Chôshin]]<!--今帰仁朝審--> and [[Kishimoto Gasho|Kishimoto Gashô]].</ref>. After studying at Gakushûin and Keiô Universities, he returned to Okinawa in 1893, and helped found the ''Ryûkyû Shimpô''.

Following the abolition of the Ryûkyû Kingdom and annexation of the islands by Japan as Okinawa Prefecture, politics and economics in Okinawa quickly came to be dominated by Japanese from the other prefectures. Many government bureaucrats, including Chôfu's father, engaged in peaceful protest, simply ceasing to work and refusing to aid the new officials in taking over responsibilities and activities. Ôta Chôfu also watched as native Okinawan merchants began to be pushed out by merchants from other cities who began to exert a monopolistic influence over the marketplace<ref>Kerr, George. ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People'' (revised ed.). Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. p398.</ref>. He notes, in his writings, how a considerable amount of funding flowed into [[Hokkaido|Hokkaidô]], also recently formally annexed by Imperial Japan, and that many public works projects, the building of infrastructure, etc. were undertaken there, while Okinawa received little funding or infrastructure construction from the central government at this time. While Hokkaidô had considerable natural resources and the [[Ainu]] living there posed little political opposition, Okinawa had little natural resources, and "a large population divided and uncertain in its political and cultural loyalties"<ref>Kerr. p402.</ref>.

Following the abolition of the Ryûkyû Kingdom and annexation of the islands by Japan as Okinawa Prefecture, politics and economics in Okinawa quickly came to be dominated by Japanese from the other prefectures. Many government bureaucrats, including Chôfu's father, engaged in peaceful protest, simply ceasing to work and refusing to aid the new officials in taking over responsibilities and activities. Ôta Chôfu also watched as native Okinawan merchants began to be pushed out by merchants from other cities who began to exert a monopolistic influence over the marketplace<ref>Kerr, George. ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People'' (revised ed.). Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. p398.</ref>. He notes, in his writings, how a considerable amount of funding flowed into [[Hokkaido|Hokkaidô]], also recently formally annexed by Imperial Japan, and that many public works projects, the building of infrastructure, etc. were undertaken there, while Okinawa received little funding or infrastructure construction from the central government at this time. While Hokkaidô had considerable natural resources and the [[Ainu]] living there posed little political opposition, Okinawa had little natural resources, and "a large population divided and uncertain in its political and cultural loyalties"<ref>Kerr. p402.</ref>.