Hired foreigners - Oyatoigaikokujin

Japanese: 御雇外国人 - おやといがいこくじん

The term refers to experts from advanced Western countries who were invited to contribute to the modernization of Japan. In a broad sense, it includes people employed by not only the Japanese government but also private organizations in Japan. Their occupations were classified as policy advisors, teachers, engineers, etc. Their activities date back to the Ansei era (1854-60), but their heyday was mainly from the Meiji Restoration onwards until around 1900. The Meiji government's "Enrich the country and strengthen the military" policy was essentially an implementation of a Westernization policy in almost every aspect, and therefore the cooperation of Western experts was highly desired. On the other hand, for the Western powers, the modernization of Japan would lead to the expansion of trade, so their respective governments and local authorities in Japan eagerly responded to the Japanese government's request for experts. As a result, a group of at least 800 experts from each country, skilled in various fields such as politics, law, military affairs, education, industrial technology, finance and banking, culture, natural sciences, and medicine, was continuously employed by the Meiji government. They were involved in key national political matters such as drafting the constitution, important policies and documents as advisors, educators who led and developed academic fields at the University of Tokyo and other major educational institutions, and engineers who transplanted industrial and technological knowledge to Japan. Many of them received salaries from the Japanese government equal to those of ministers and high-ranking officials, and as such, the quality of their expertise was high on average, and their enthusiasm and sense of mission to promote the modernization of Japan was generally strong. Furthermore, the knowledge and technology they possessed was efficiently absorbed by elite Japanese bureaucrats and students, accelerating the Westernization of Japan. On the other hand, because their role was limited to that of servants and advisors, the creativity and essence of Western civilization did not take root in Japan.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

日本の近代化に貢献すべく招聘された欧米先進国の専門家たちのことで，広義には日本政府のみならず，日本の民間機関に雇われた人々まで含む。その職種は，政策顧問，教師，技術家などに分類される。活動の時期は安政年間 (1854～60) にさかのぼるが，おもに明治維新以降，1900年頃までが最盛期であった。明治政府の「富国強兵」政策は，ほとんどあらゆる側面で実質的に西洋化政策の実施であり，したがって欧米専門家たちの協力が切望された。他方，欧米列強にとっても，日本の近代化は通商の拡大につながるので，各国政府や駐日現地当局は，意欲的に日本政府の人選依頼に応じた。この結果，政治，法制，軍事，教育，産業技術，財政金融，文化，自然科学，医学など各分野に長じた専門家グループが各国から少くとも 800人以上にのぼり明治政府に続々と雇用された。彼らは，あるいは助言者として憲法制定や重要政策，文書の立案，作成など，国政の枢機にたずさわり，あるいは教育家として東京大学そのほか主要教育機関で各専門分野の学術を指導，開発し，あるいは技術家として産業，工業技術を日本に移植した。彼らのうち，日本政府から大臣・高官並みの俸給を受けた者も少くなかったが，それだけに専門家としての質も平均して高く，日本の近代化を促進させる熱意と使命感も概して強かった。また，彼らのもつ知識，技術は効率よく日本側エリート官僚，学生らにより摂取されたので，日本の西洋化は急激に早まった。反面，彼らの役割があくまで使用人，助言者の域にとどまったので，西洋文明の創造性や本質は，日本に定着しなかった。

出典　ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典について　情報

<<: Oyanirami (Parent Gaze) - Oyanirami (English spelling) Coreoperca kawamebari

>>: Oyasu Gorge - Oyasu Gorge