Rakubun - Otoshibumi

Japanese: 落文 - おとしぶみ

A petition or secret report accompanied by threats, mainly from the Edo period. Also called sutebun or suteso. It refers to petitions that were left in or near the residence of the councilor or elder statesman without going through the proper procedures, arson warnings dropped in front of the gates of houses one has a grudge against, and letters to the police that hint at the real culprit of a crime. Most senders are anonymous or have a false name. From the mid-Edo period to the Meiji Restoration, many of these denounced corrupt magistrates who were collecting higher taxes, unscrupulous monopolistic merchants, and usurers, and called for stronger crackdowns on them. [Kitahara Susumu]

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

主として江戸時代の脅迫を伴った訴願または密告書。捨文，捨訴ともいう。正規の手続をふまずに評定所や老中の邸内または近辺に置いた訴願書，日ごろ恨みのある家の門前に落とした放火予告書，事件の真犯人を示唆した投書の類をいう。差出人は多く無記名または偽名。近世中期から明治維新期にかけて，年貢増徴をする悪代官，独占的悪徳商人，高利貸らを糾弾し，その取締り強化を訴えたものが多い。【北原進】

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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