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Ichiki Shirô was a retainer to [[Satsuma han]] who operated secretly at the orders of [[Shimazu Nariakira]] to pursue certain arrangements with Western powers, including, chiefly, seeking to purchase warships and rifles from the French.

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.

In [[1858]]/1, Nariakira sent Ichiki to [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû]] to negotiate with the French in the hopes of obtaining a steamship warship and as many as 1,000 rifles. Ichiki had to be careful to keep the negotiations, and their results, secret from Beijing, and also from the [[Tokugawa shogunate]], who had been hostile for years to the idea of Satsuma becoming any kind of commercial center to rival [[Nagasaki]] (let alone a military power engaging in its own separate foreign relations negotiations). Despite the risks, this task was important enough to Nariakira that he was willing to have Ichiki send Ryukyuan officials to purchase ships and rifles from the British or Dutch at [[Fuzhou]], if the French were uncooperative. It did not come to that, however, and Ichiki and a group of representatives of the Ryukyuan royal government secured an agreement with the French in 1858/7. The French would sell Ryûkyû a warship, and some amount of small arms, with the possibility for a more long-term trade relationship in future.  

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.

The trade was never made, however, as Ichiki and the Ryukyuan government soon learned of Nariakira's unexpected death on 7/16, said to be from food poisoning; Nariakira's brother [[Shimazu Hisamitsu]], acting as regent for Nariakira's successor, [[Shimazu Tadayoshi]], canceled these plans, and went on to reverse many of Nariakira's other policies. A number of the Ryukyuan officials involved were arrested, though Ichiki himself escaped, and went into hiding for a time.

Ichiki had to be careful to keep the negotiations, and their results, secret from Beijing, and also from the [[Tokugawa shogunate]], who had been hostile for years to the idea of Satsuma becoming any kind of commercial center to rival [[Nagasaki]] (let alone a military power engaging in its own separate foreign relations negotiations). Despite the risks, this task was important enough to Nariakira that he was willing to have Ichiki send Ryukyuan officials to purchase ships and rifles from the British or Dutch at [[Fuzhou]], if the French were uncooperative. It did not come to that, however, and Ichiki and a group of representatives of the Ryukyuan royal government secured an agreement with the French in 1858/7. The French would sell Ryûkyû a warship, and some amount of small arms, with the possibility for a more long-term trade relationship in future. The trade was never made, however, as Ichiki and the Ryukyuan government soon learned of Nariakira's unexpected death on 7/16, said to be from food poisoning; Nariakira's brother [[Shimazu Hisamitsu]], acting as regent for Nariakira's successor, [[Shimazu Tadayoshi]], canceled these plans, and went on to reverse many of Nariakira's other policies.

 

In addition to the commercial & diplomatic aspects, this scheme also involved a conspiracy to eliminate Zakimi ''ueekata'' - who was opposed to Nariakira's plans - from high government position, and to simultaneously elevate co-conspirators [[Makishi Chochu|Makishi Chôchû]] and [[Onga Choko|Onga Chôkô]]. This came to light within the Ryukyuan government in [[1859]], and came to be known as the Makishi-Onga Incident. [[Ie Chochoku|Prince Ie Chôchoku]] led an investigation in which Makishi, Onga, and a third Ryukyuan official, [[Oroku Ryochu|Oroku Ryôchû]], were found guilty and were severely punished; Ichiki escaped without incident, but went into hiding for a time.

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==References==

==References==

*Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 166-167.

*Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 166-167.

[[Category:Samurai]]

[[Category:Samurai]]

[[Category:Bakumatsu]]

[[Category:Bakumatsu]]