Saga Rebellion

In February 1874 (Meiji 7), over 11,000 samurai from the Seikan and Yukoku parties in Saga Prefecture revolted against the Meiji government and were put down. This was one of the samurai rebellions. After the collapse of the Seikan Debate in August-October 1873, the Seikan Party, which included progressive samurai such as civil rights supporters, and the Yukoku Party, which united conservative samurai, were formed in Saga Prefecture. In January of the following year, the Seikan Party stepped down after the Seikan Debate and welcomed former councilor Eto Shinpei, who had returned to Japan after signing the "Petition for the Establishment of a Popularly Selected Assembly," as its leader. The Yukoku Party also welcomed Shima Yoshitake, who had remained in Tokyo after the Meiji Restoration, having served as a judge, chamberlain, and governor of Akita Prefecture, and on February 14th, he became its leader. The two parties then revolted in Saga in February. On February 4, the government ordered the dispatch of troops to suppress the rebellion. On the 13th, Eto and others issued a "decisive battle resolution" and occupied the Saga Prefectural Office on the 18th. However, because the government quickly sensed the unrest among the lower samurai in Saga Prefecture and sent troops forward, the rebels were unable to receive planned reinforcements from Kochi, Kumamoto, Nakatsu (Oita Prefecture), and other areas, and were suppressed after two weeks of fighting. In April, Eto (captured in Kochi Prefecture) and Shima (captured in Kagoshima Prefecture) were executed by public display of their heads, and over 400 others were punished. Eto and others believed that civil rights could only be realized when national sovereignty was fulfilled, and that it was certain high-ranking bureaucrats such as Iwakura Tomomi and Okubo Toshimichi that were undermining national sovereignty. Their goal in raising an army was to overthrow the tyranny of high-ranking bureaucrats, but they had no intention of joining forces with the general public, who were increasingly critical of the government.

[Takaaki Ikai]

"The Black Dragon Society, ed., 'Seinankiden, Vol. 1, 2' (1908, Black Dragon Society, reprint edition, 1969, Hara Shobo)" ▽ "Goto Yasushi, 'Research on Samurai Rebellions' (1967, Aoki Shoten)" ▽ "Sugitani Akira, 'Eto Shinpei' (1962, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1874年（明治7）2月佐賀県の征韓・憂国両党に結集する士族1万1000余人が明治政府に反対して蜂起(ほうき)、鎮定された事件。士族反乱の一つ。73年8～10月の征韓論争の破裂後、佐賀県内には民権派など進歩派士族をも含めた征韓党と保守派士族を糾合した憂国党が結成された。翌74年1月征韓党は征韓論争後下野し、「民撰(みんせん)議院設立建白書」に署名して帰国した前参議江藤新平(しんぺい)を迎えて党首とし、また憂国党は、維新後北海道開拓使判官、侍従、秋田県令などを経て東京にとどまっていた島義勇(よしたけ)を迎えて2月14日党首とし、ここに両党は2月佐賀で反乱を起こした。政府は2月4日、鎮圧のため出兵を命令。13日、江藤らは「決戦の議」を発し、18日佐賀県庁を占拠した。しかし、政府が佐賀県下士族の動揺をいち早く察知し兵を進めたため、反乱軍は高知、熊本、中津（大分県）などからの予定した援軍を得られず、2週間の戦闘ののち鎮定された。4月江藤（高知県で捕縛）、島（鹿児島県で捕縛）2人は晒首(さらしくび)の刑を受け、ほかに400人余が処罰された。江藤らは国権が全うされて初めて民権が実現されるのであり、その国権を損なっているのは岩倉具視(ともみ)、大久保利通(としみち)など一部高級官僚であるとして、高級官僚の専制体制の打破を挙兵の目的としていたが、政府への批判を募らせる一般民衆との結合はまったく考えなかった。

［猪飼隆明］

『黒龍会編『西南記伝　上巻2』（1908・黒龍会／復刻版・1969・原書房）』▽『後藤靖著『士族反乱の研究』（1967・青木書店）』▽『杉谷昭著『江藤新平』（1962・吉川弘文館）』

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