Oki Uprising

This was a riot that occurred in March 1868 (Keio 4) in Oki Province (Oki Islands, Shimane Prefecture) to expel the district magistrate of Matsue Domain and realize self-governance for the islanders. On March 19th, the Justice Party, consisting of village headmen and priests with the ideology of revering the Emperor and expelling the district magistrate, rallied around 3,000 farmers and expelled the district magistrate, demanding that the island be placed under direct control of the Imperial Court and that the district magistrate be removed. The Justice Party established self-government institutions and realized unprecedented self-governance for the islanders, and petitioned the government for direct control and the expulsion of foreigners. However, the government ordered the Matsue Domain to suppress the revolt, and in May the Matsue Domain sent troops to suppress the revolt and dismantled the self-government institutions. After this, the Justice Party regained its influence with the aid and mediation of the Tottori, Choshu and Satsuma domains, and in June the self-government institutions were re-established (they continued to exist until the establishment of Oki Prefecture in February of the following year, 1969). Opinions are divided on the significance of this turmoil, depending on whether the islanders' self-governance was a victory for the anti-feudal struggle, or whether it was a Sonno Joi movement by the Justice Party.

[Tetsuo Kondo]

"Tsuchiya Takao and Ono Michio (eds.), "Records of Peasant Riots in the Early Meiji Era" (1953, Keiso Shobo)" ▽ ""Newly Revised History of Shimane Prefecture, General History Volume 2, Modern Times" (1967, Shimane Prefecture)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1868年（慶応4）3月隠岐(おき)国（島根県隠岐諸島）で起こった松江(まつえ)藩郡代を追放して島民自治を実現した騒動。尊王攘夷(そんのうじょうい)思想をもつ庄屋(しょうや)・神官らの正義党が、3月19日、同島の朝廷直轄領化、藩郡代の退去を要求して、約3000人の農民を結集して蜂起(ほうき)し、郡代を追放した。正義党は、自治機関を設置して他に例をみない島民自治を実現するとともに、政府に直轄領化と攘夷運動を嘆願した。しかし、政府は松江藩に弾圧を命じ、松江藩は5月に兵を派遣して弾圧、自治機関を解体した。このあと正義党は、鳥取藩、長州藩、薩摩(さつま)藩の援助、調停を受けて勢力を回復し、6月には自治機関が再建された（翌69年2月の隠岐県設置まで存続）。この騒動の意義については、島民自治の性格を反封建闘争の勝利とみるか、正義党の尊攘運動とみるかによって、評価の分かれるところである。

［近藤哲生］

『土屋喬雄・小野道雄編著『明治初年農民騒擾録』（1953・勁草書房）』▽『『新修島根県史　通史篇2　近代』（1967・島根県）』

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