Foreign Magistrate - Gaikokubugyo

A post in the Edo Shogunate. It was established on July 8, 1858 (Ansei 5) to deal with the new diplomatic situation that arose in the late Edo period due to the demands of the Western powers to open the country. It was established immediately after the Treaty of Amity and Commerce was signed with Harris, the American representative in Japan. Its stipend was 2,000 koku, and its status was higher than that of the Magistrate of Distant Provinces, under the control of the Roju. Previously, the duties of the Kaibo-gakari were those of the Kaibō-kakari, but it took command of diplomatic negotiations under the orders of the Roju. It had a staff of five, and initially consisted of many enlightened and capable officials selected by the Roju Abe Masahiro, including Inoue Kiyonao and Iwase Tadanari, who signed the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Japan, as well as Mizuno Tadanori, Nagai Naoyuki (also read as "Naomune"), and Hori Toshihiro. On June 29, 1867 (Keio 3), when the newly established position of Director General of Foreign Affairs was established, he took over its command, but it was abolished the following year with the collapse of the shogunate.

[Tanaka Tokihiko]

Ryozo Doi, "Five Foreign Magistrates at the End of the Tokugawa Shogunate: The Samurai Who Realized the Opening of Japan" (1997, Chuokoron-Shinsha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸幕府職制。江戸末期、西洋列強の開国要求により生じた新しい外交事態に対処するため、1858年（安政5）7月8日設置された。アメリカ駐日代表ハリスとの間に通商条約が調印された直後のことである。石高は2000石、格式は老中支配で遠国(おんごく)奉行より上位。従前は海防掛が行った職務であるが、老中の命を受けて外交交渉を総轄した。定員は5名で当初は老中阿部正弘(あべまさひろ)に抜擢(ばってき)された開明的能吏が多く、日米修好通商条約に調印した井上清直(きよなお)、岩瀬忠震(ただなり)をはじめ、水野忠徳(ただのり)、永井尚志(なおゆき)（「なおむね」とも読む）、堀利煕(としひろ)がその職にあった。1867年（慶応3）6月29日、外国事務総裁が新設されると、その指揮を受けたが、翌年幕府倒壊とともに廃止された。

［田中時彦］

『土居良三著『幕末五人の外国奉行　開国を実現させた武士』（1997・中央公論社）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例