Makishi Chochu
- Born: 1818
- Died: 1862
- Other names: 板良敷朝忠 (Itarajichi Chôchû / Itarashiki Chôchû)
- Japanese: 牧志朝忠 (Makishi Chouchuu)
Makishi Chôchû was a Ryukyuan scholar-bureaucrat who headed the kingdom's diplomatic exchanges with Western countries in the 1850s. His abilities in Western languages allowed him to rise up in the ranks unusually quickly or easily, and to be granted this position.[1]
Makishi journeyed to China in 1839 along with returning Chinese investiture envoys, and studied at the Imperial Academy, where he learned formal Court Chinese (Mandarin). After his return from China, he learned English from Aniya Masasuke (Yoseyama ueekata), and came to serve as an official translator and interpreter. He acted in this capacity when the French ship Alcmene arrived in 1844, and again when Commodore Perry came to Ryûkyû in 1853-1854.[1]
As a result of Satsuma's high opinion of his language skills, he was promoted to hichô shudoi, a position roughly akin to Minister of Education and Foreign Affairs.[2] After the death of Shimazu Nariakira, however, he was caught up in a bribery scandal and was exiled and to be imprisoned. While on the way to Kagoshima, however, he drowned himself.[1]
References
- Taira, Koji. "Troubled national identity: The Ryukyuans/Okinawans." in Weiner, Michael (ed.) Japan's Minorities: The Illusion of Homogeneity. London: Routledge, 1997. p153.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Makishi Chôchû." Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia (沖縄コンパクト事典, Okinawa konpakuto jiten). Ryukyu Shimpo. 1 March 2003. Accessed 29 September 2010.
- ↑ 悲劇を生きた沖縄の偉人 板良敷（牧志）朝忠.