1872

Meiji 5 (明治五年)

Timeline of 1872

• 1872/10/14 Representatives of the Kingdom of Ryûkyû, led by Giwan Chôho, are informed in Tokyo of the annexation by Japan of the kingdom as Ryûkyû han. The envoys return to Okinawa and inform King Shô Tai of this development.

Other Events of 1872

• The first official photo portraits of Emperor Meiji are taken by Uchida Kuichi (72 shots in the first session).
• Fukuchiyama castle is destroyed.
• Karatsu castle is destroyed.
• Yanagiwara Sakimitsu, a Japanese official in Shanghai, reports back to Japan about the Taiwan Incident of 1871, in which 54 Ryuykuans were killed by Taiwanese aborigines.
• The Kingdom of Ryûkyû is released from its vassal status under Kagoshima prefecture (formerly Satsuma han), and comes under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then under the Ministry of the Interior.
• Kôki calendar system, counting years from the mythical ascension of Emperor Jimmu in 660 BCE, is established.
• Kururi castle is destroyed.
• Frenchman Charles LeGendre is hired as an advisor by the Japanese government.
• Maria Luz Incident - a Peruvian ship carrying Chinese coolies calls at Yokohama, leading to a diplomatic incident when the coolies declare they are being mistreated and request aid from Japanese authorities.
• Matsudaira Katamori ends his self-imposed confinement entered following the Boshin War.
• Morita-za kabuki theater is moved from Saruwaka-chô to Shintomi-chô, and rebuilt as a larger structure.
• The Prostitute Emancipation Act is issued; burakumin and certain types of bonded laborers and servants are also granted a certain degree of freedom, liberties, and rights.
• Saigô Tanomo, confined since the end of the battle of Hakodate, is released.
• Takatô castle is destroyed.
• Yamaoka Tesshû becomes a chamberlain to Emperor Meiji.

Births and Deaths

• Nagaoka Kenkichi dies.
• Rôshigumi member Shimizu Goroichi dies.
• Yamauchi Toyoshige, lord of Tosa han, dies.

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1872

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