Capron - Horace Capron

American agricultural politician. Second Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, retired Army Major General. Advisor and head teacher of the Hokkaido Development Commission. In June 1871 (Meiji 4), at the request of Vice Minister Kuroda Kiyotaka, he came to Japan as an advisor to the Hokkaido Development Commission, accompanied by many engineers, at the recommendation of President Grant, in order to promote the Hokkaido Development Commission's Ten-Year Plan for Hokkaido. He made an effort to establish development policies in various surveys, and formed the basis of Hokkaido's development policies thereafter. He stayed in Japan for three years and ten months, but when he returned to Japan he left behind the "Capron Report," which is the quintessence of his proposals, and many of his proposals were implemented, such as the opening of Sapporo Agricultural College. It was also his suggestion that five young girls, including Tsuda Umeko, who accompanied the Iwakura Mission, be sent to America to study. He passed away on February 22, 1885, in Washington, D.C., at the age of 82.

[Noboru Umekei August 21, 2018]

"Kuroda Kiyotaka and Horace Capron" by Osaka Nobutaka (1962, Hokkai Times) " "Harada Kazunori, "Hired Foreigners 13: Colonization" (1975, Kashima Publishing)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

アメリカの農政家。連邦農務省長官（第2代）、退役陸軍少将。開拓使顧問兼教師頭。1871年（明治4）6月、北海道の開拓使十年計画推進のため、開拓使次官黒田清隆(くろだきよたか)の要請に基づき、大統領グラントの推挙で、開拓使顧問として多くの技師を伴って来日。各種の調査にあたり、開拓方針確立のために尽力し、以後の北海道開発方針の基礎をつくった。3年10か月在日したが、帰国に際して残した「ケプロン報文」は彼の献策の精髄であり、札幌農学校開設などその献策の多くが実施された。岩倉遣外使節に同行の津田梅子ら5少女のアメリカ留学生の派遣も彼の建言による。1885年2月22日ワシントンで82年の生涯を閉じた。

［梅溪　昇　2018年8月21日］

『逢坂信忢著『黒田清隆とホーレス・ケプロン』（1962・北海タイムス社）』▽『原田一典著『お雇い外国人13　開拓』（1975・鹿島出版会）』

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