Nishimitsu Mankichi - The best mankichi

Social activist and writer. Born in Nara Prefecture. His real name was Kiyohara Kazutaka. Born as the eldest son of the head priest of Saikoji Temple, a branch temple of the Shinshu Nishi Honganji Temple, he dropped out of junior high school due to discrimination against the Burakumin, moved to Tokyo to study painting, but the anguish he experienced from the Burakumin discrimination issue led him to undergo a spiritual journey as a seeker. After returning to his hometown in 1919 (Taisho 8), he formed the Tsubame Society with Sakamoto Seiichiro and others, and worked on reform movements within the Burakumin community. In 1921, following the suggestion of Sano Manabu, he wrote the founding statement of the Suiheisha, "For a Good Day," and when the National Suiheisha was founded the following year, he drafted the Suiheisha Declaration and was chosen as one of the central committee members. In 1924, he formed the Nara Prefecture Federation of the Japan Farmers' Union and became a permanent committee member of the Nihonno-Kumiai headquarters, and also worked hard to organize a proletarian political party. When the Labor and Farmers Party was founded in 1926, he became a central committee member. He joined the Japanese Communist Party in the same year, but was arrested in the March 15 Incident in 1928 (Showa 3) and sentenced to five years in prison, during which he underwent an ideological transformation. After being released on parole in 1933, he joined the Great Japan National Socialist Party and formed the Imperial Farmers Alliance, among other nationalist movements, and from 1937 onwards he approached the Great Japan Youth Party and launched the New Life Movement, which aimed to eliminate "Burakumin consciousness." In 1939 he was elected as a by-election member of the Nara Prefectural Assembly. After Japan's defeat in the war, he advocated the abolition of atomic and hydrogen bombs and permanent peace. He wrote many plays and novels throughout his life.

[Shiro Akazawa]

"The Collected Works of Mankichi Nishimitsu, 4 volumes (1971-74, Toshobo)" ▽ "Tetsuo Kitagawa, Mankichi Nishimitsu and the Buraku Problem (1975, Toshobo)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

社会運動家、文筆家。奈良県生まれ。本名清原一隆。真宗西本願寺末寺西光寺住職の長男として生まれ、部落差別を受けて中学を中退、上京して絵画を学ぶが、部落差別問題での苦悩から求道者的な精神遍歴を経た。帰郷後の1919年（大正8）阪本清一郎らと燕(つばめ)会を結成して部落内部の改革運動に取り組み、21年佐野学(まなぶ)の示唆を受けて水平社の創立趣意書『よき日の為(ため)に』を執筆、翌年の全国水平社の創立においては水平社宣言の草案を起草し、中央委員の一人に選ばれた。24年日本農民組合奈良県連合会を結成するとともに、日農の本部常任委員となり、無産政党組織化にも尽力、26年の労働農民党の結成とともに中央委員となる。同年日本共産党に入党するが、28年（昭和3）三・一五事件で逮捕され懲役5年の判決を受け、服役中に思想的転向を遂げる。33年仮釈放で出獄後、大日本国家社会党に参加し皇国農民同盟を結成するなど国家主義運動に加わり、さらに37年以降は大日本青年党に接近して「部落民意識」の解消を図る新生運動を起こした。39年奈良県会議員に補欠当選。敗戦後は原水爆禁止、恒久平和を唱える。生涯を通じ多くの戯曲、小説を執筆した。

［赤澤史朗］

『『西光万吉著作集』全4巻（1971～74・濤書房）』▽『北川鉄夫著『西光万吉と部落問題』（1975・濤書房）』

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