Azusa Ono

A legal scholar and politician in the early Meiji period. Born on February 20, 1858 in Sukumo Village, Hata County, Tosa Province (Sukumo City, Kochi Prefecture). His childhood name was Tetsuichi and his pen name was Toyo. In 1869 (Meiji 2), he went to Tokyo to study at the Shohei School, and from 1871 he studied in both the United States and the United Kingdom for three years. After returning to Japan, he formed a cultural enlightenment group called Kyozon Doshu with his comrades, published the Kyozon Magazine, and also studied Roman law and compiled a translation of the Roman Code. In 1876, he was appointed a Junior Justice of the Peace, and thereafter served as a clerk at the Ministry of Justice and the Dajokan. In 1880, he was appointed an inspector at the newly established Board of Audit, where he developed a close relationship with Okuma Shigenobu, and in October of the following year, he resigned from office along with Okuma during the "Meiji 14th Year Coup." After that, under Okuma, he worked hard to found the Constitutional Reform Party and Tokyo Senmon Gakko (later Waseda University), and also opened the Toyokan Shoten (the precursor to Fuzanbo) and got involved in the publishing business. During this time, he was prolific in the fields of politics, law, economics, education, and more, publishing his magnum opus "Kokken Hanron" (General Treatise on the Constitution). He died of pulmonary tuberculosis on January 11, 1886.

[Sumio Ohirakata]

"The Complete Works of Ono Azusa, 5 volumes, edited by the Waseda University History Editorial Office (1978-1982, Waseda University Press)" ▽ "'Natural Rights Theory and Utilitarianism - The Political Thought of Ono Azusa', by Ogihara Takashi (1995, Shinhyoron)" ▽ "'Ono Azusa and Freedom and Civil Rights', by Katsuta Seiji (2010, Yushisha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治前期の法学者、政治家。嘉永(かえい)5年2月20日土佐国幡多(はた)郡宿毛(すくも)村（高知県宿毛市）に生まれる。幼名一(てついち)、号は東洋。1869年（明治2）東京に出て昌平学校(しょうへいがっこう)に学び、1871年から3年間アメリカ、イギリス両国に留学。帰国後同志とともに文化啓蒙(けいもう)団体「共存同衆」を結成し、『共存雑誌』を発行、また、ローマ法を研究して「羅瑪(ローマ)律要」を纂訳(さんやく)した。1876年司法少丞(しょうじょう)に任ぜられ、以後司法省、太政官(だじょうかん)の書記官を歴任、1880年新設の会計検査院の検査官に就任して大隈重信(おおくましげのぶ)との関係を深め、翌年10月の「明治十四年の政変」で大隈とともに下野した。以後、大隈のもとで立憲改進党の結成、東京専門学校（後の早稲田(わせだ)大学）の創立に尽力するとともに、東洋館書店（冨山房(ふざんぼう)の前身）を開業して出版事業にも手を染めた。この間、大著『国憲汎論(こっけんはんろん)』をはじめとして、政治、法律、経済、教育などの各分野で旺盛(おうせい)な著作活動を展開。明治19年1月11日肺結核のため死去。

［大日方純夫］

『早稲田大学大学史編集所編『小野梓全集』全5巻（1978～1982・早稲田大学出版部）』▽『荻原隆著『天賦人権論と功利主義──小野梓の政治思想』（1995・新評論）』▽『勝田政治著『小野梓と自由民権』（2010・有志舎）』

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