Ichiro Shimada

Japanese: 島田一良 - しまだ・いちろう

Year of death: July 27, 1878
Year of birth: 1848
The assassin of Okubo Toshimichi. Born a low-ranking samurai of the Kaga (Kanazawa) domain. He learned Western-style gunnery and drills at the domain school Soyu-kan, and served as an artillery instructor. During the Boshin War, the Kaga domain joined the Imperial army. Kazuyoshi also fought in Hokuetsu and distinguished himself in battle, and was promoted to the samurai rank and became an officer in the domain's army, but was dismissed when the domains were abolished and prefectures were established (1871). He went to Tokyo to study French military science, and while there he became friends with fellow townsmen Riku Yoshinao and Naga Tsunetake, and was sympathetic to the political views of Satsuma faction members Saigo Takamori and Kirino Toshiaki. After the Seikanron Coup, he took action to criticize the government, recruiting comrades in Kanazawa and waiting for an opportunity to lead an anti-government uprising, but missed the opportunity to join them during the Seinan War (1877). After the war, he plotted to assassinate the government's top leader, Minister of Home Affairs, Okubo Toshimichi, and on May 14, 1878 (Meiji 11), he and others attacked the Minister of Home Affairs at Kioizaka in Akasaka and brutally murdered him. He was executed by beheading.

(Atsushi Fukuchi)

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

Japanese:

没年：明治11.7.27(1878)
生年：嘉永1(1848)
大久保利通の暗殺者。加賀(金沢)藩の下級藩士出身。藩校壮猶館で西洋流の砲術,操練を学び,砲術教師を勤めた。戊辰戦争で加賀藩は官軍につく。一良も北越に出征し戦功あり,士分に昇進,藩軍士官となるが,廃藩置県(1871)で解職。上京して仏式兵学を学ぶ間に同郷の陸義猶,長連豪と親交し薩派の西郷隆盛,桐野利秋らの政見に共鳴,征韓論政変以後,政府批判の行動をとり金沢に同志を募り反政府蜂起の機会を待機したが,西南戦争(1877)には合流の機を失った。戦後,政府の巨頭内務卿大久保利通の暗殺を計画,明治11(1878)年5月14日,長らと赤坂紀尾井坂に内務卿を襲撃し惨殺。斬刑に処せられた。

(福地惇)

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

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