Teiichi Sakuma

Japanese: 佐久間貞一 - さくま・ていいち

Year of death: November 6, 1898 (Meiji 31)
Year of birth: 15th May 1848 (15th June 1848)
A Meiji era businessman. Born to Shogunate vassal Sakuma Jinemon and his wife Masuko. He participated in the Boshin War but was defeated, and followed the Tokugawa family to Shizuoka. After studying under Yasuda Hisanari, he inspected Kyushu at the behest of the clan and assisted the relocation of Amakusa Islanders to Hokkaido. He also ran a goods business in Hakodate, where he was successful. In 1876 (Meiji 9), he founded the letterpress printing company Shueisha (the precursor to Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.) with Yasuda, Ouchi Seiran, and others. He also ran printing and publishing companies such as the Western-style printing company Seikokan and Dai Nippon Tosho Co., Ltd. He also managed many other businesses, including the Oriental Emigration Company and the National Savings Bank. He had a deep understanding of labor issues from an early age, and in 1886 he opened an apprenticeship school for workers, and in 1890 he implemented an eight-hour workday at Shueisha, striving to improve the working conditions and welfare of workers. He also provided direct and indirect support to labor unions. He was also called the Japanese Robert Owen. <References> Toyohara Matao, "A Short Biography of Sakuma Teiichi"

(Teruo Ariyama)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：明治31.11.6(1898)
生年：嘉永1.5.15(1848.6.15)
明治時代の実業家。幕臣佐久間甚右衛門,妻ます子の子に生まれる。戊辰戦争に参加したが敗れ,徳川家に従い静岡に移住。保田久成に学んだのち,藩の命令で九州を視察,天草島民の北海道移住を援助した。自らも函館で物産業を営み,成功する。明治9(1876)年,保田,大内青巒らと共に活版印刷所秀英舎(大日本印刷株式会社の前身)を創立。また,西洋式の製版所生巧館,大日本図書株式会社など印刷出版関連会社も経営した。その他,東洋移民会社,国民貯蓄銀行など多くの事業の経営に当たった。早くから労働問題への理解が深く,11年労働者のための徒弟学校を開設し,22年には秀英舎で8時間労働制を実施するなど労働者の待遇改善や福祉に努力した。労働組合についても直接間接の援助をあたえた。日本のロバート・オーエンとも称された。<参考文献>豊原又男『佐久間貞一小伝』

(有山輝雄)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

<<: Nobumori Sakuma

>>: Tsutomu Sakuma