Jacques Specx

A Dutchman who played an important role in Japan-Netherlands negotiations before the country was isolated. He was the first chief of the Dutch post. Born in Dordrecht, he joined the Dutch East India Company at a young age. He came to Japan in 1609 (Keicho 14) at the command of the company to begin Japan-Netherlands negotiations. He received a red seal of trade permission from Tokugawa Ieyasu, built a trading post in Hirado, and was appointed as the first chief of the post. In 1618, he went to Southeast Asia for a time to work out trade policies, but returned to Japan the following year, and served as chief of the post again until 1621, working hard to promote the extremely difficult Japan-Netherlands trade. He then returned to his home country, reporting in detail to the company on the current state of trade in Asia, and in 1629, he reached the East Indies as fleet commander, and was appointed interim governor upon the death of Governor Coon. Although he was soon forced to resign from his post, he had made a major impact on the history of early Dutch colonialism in the East Asia region, having worked tirelessly to develop Dutch trade amid the fierce trade war over the waters of East Asia at the time, and also demonstrating his skill in colonial administration.

[Kenji Yanai]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鎖国前の日蘭(にちらん)交渉に重要な役割を演じたオランダ人。初代蘭館長。ドルトレヒトに生まれ、若くしてオランダ東インド会社に入社。1609年（慶長14）日蘭交渉開始の会社の指命を受けて日本に渡来した。徳川家康より通商許可の朱印状を受け、平戸(ひらど)に商館を建設するとともに、最初の商館長に任命された。13年通商策を講ずるため一時東南アジアに赴いたが、翌年日本に戻り、21年までふたたび商館長となり、きわめて困難な日蘭貿易の推進に努力した。その後いったん本国に戻り、会社にアジア貿易の実況をつぶさに報告し、29年には艦隊司令官として東インドに至り、クーン総督死亡を機に臨時に総督に任ぜられた。まもなくその職を辞すのやむなきに至ったが、当時東アジア水域をめぐる熾烈(しれつ)な貿易戦争のなかでオランダ貿易の発展に尽力するとともに、植民地行政にも手腕を振るうなど初期のオランダ東洋植民史上大きな足跡を残した。

［箭内健次］

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