Onga Choko

• Died: 1860/3/13
• Japanese: 恩河 朝恒 (Onga Choukou)

Onga ueekata Chôkô was a Ryukyu Kingdom official known for his involvement in the Makishi-Onga Incident of 1859, in which a number of officials, including Makishi Chôchû and Onga, were found to have been working with Satsuma han domain government behind the back of the Ryukyu royal government to negotiate relations with France.

At some point prior to this scandal, Onga had accompanied an official known as Mabuni anji to Kagoshima on official business. It is said that Onga spoke out of turn on at least one notable occasion, answering questions from the lord of Satsuma that were not directed at him; and outshining Mabuni in poetry, earning his ire.

As for the negotiations with Franch, they included arrangements for Ryukyuan scholar-aristocrats to study in France, for the kingdom to obtain warships and weapons from France, and for regular trade to begin between Ryukyu and France (as a way for Satsuma to engage in foreign relations and trade for its own benefit, via Ryukyu, circumventing Tokugawa shogunate monopolies on foreign relations and trade). Ichiki Shôemon was one of the chief Satsuma officials involved. These dealings came to light in 1859 as Shimazu Hisamitsu, regent to lord Shimazu Tadayoshi of Satsuma, sought to reverse many of the policies of Tadayoshi's predecessor, Shimazu Nariakira, with whom Makishi, Onga, et al had negotiated.

References

• "Onga Chôkô," Okinawa konpakuto jiten, Ryukyu Shimpo (2003).