Kiyotaka Inoue - Kiyotaka Inoue

A shogunate official in the late Edo period. The first foreign affairs magistrate. The third son of Hita magistrate Naito Kichibei (later a shogunate samurai). Adopted by Yoriki Inoue Shinzaemon. Called Matsukichi and Shinemon, he later became Shinano no Kami. The younger brother of Kawaji Toshiakira. After working in the Shogunate Council of State's Books Department, Accounting Office Assistant, and Temple and Shrine Magistrate's Inspector, he was appointed as the Accounting Group Chief in 1852 (Kaei 5). A man of great intelligence and good reputation, Kiyonao was selected by the senior councilor Abe Masahiro, and promoted to Accounting Inspector in 1854 (Ansei 1) and Shimoda Magistrate in 1855. In 1856, he made an effort to receive the American envoy Harris when he visited Japan. He was made a plenipotentiary with Iwase Tadanari in the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Japan, and concentrated all his efforts on the deliberation to protect the national interest, leading Harris, his negotiating partner, to remark that it was a blessing for the Japanese people to have had such a diplomat. The treaty was signed in June 1858. He was appointed as the new magistrate of foreign affairs along with Iwase and others the following July, and while also serving as magistrate of Shimoda, he was involved in diplomatic negotiations, and concluded similar treaties with the Netherlands, Russia, Great Britain, and France (the Ansei Five-Nation Treaty). However, he was disliked by the chief advisor Ii Naosuke over the issue of the shogun's succession, and in 1859 he was demoted to magistrate of small construction. He later served as magistrate of warships, magistrate of foreign affairs (reappointed), magistrate of finance, and magistrate of towns. He died of illness on December 25, 1867.

[Minoru Tada]

"Kawaji Kando, The Life of Kawaji Seimei, Appendix: A Brief Biography of Inoue Seimei" (1970, Sekai Bunko)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸末期の幕臣。初代外国奉行(ぶぎょう)。日田(ひた)代官属吏内藤吉兵衛（のち幕府徒士(かち)）の三男。与力(よりき)井上新左衛門の養子。松吉、新右衛門(しんえもん)と称し、のち信濃守(しなののかみ)。川路聖謨(かわじとしあきら)の実弟。幕府評定所(ひょうじょうしょ)書物方、勘定所留役助(すけ)、寺社奉行付調役(しらべやく)を経て、1852年（嘉永5）勘定組頭に任ぜられた。俊敏の聞こえある清直は、老中阿部正弘(まさひろ)に抜擢(ばってき)され、54年（安政1）勘定吟味役、55年下田奉行と進んだ。56年アメリカ使節ハリスの来日に際し、その応接に努めた。日米修好通商条約には、岩瀬忠震(ただなり)とともに全権となり、国益保全のため全力を集中して審議にあたり、交渉相手のハリスに、このような外交官をもったことは日本国民にとり幸いであった、と述懐させた。58年6月同条約に調印。翌7月創設の外国奉行に岩瀬らとともに任ぜられ、下田奉行兼任で外交折衝にあたり、オランダ、ロシア、イギリス、フランスとも同様の条約を結んだ（安政(あんせい)五か国条約）。しかし、将軍継嗣(けいし)問題で大老井伊直弼(いいなおすけ)に疎(うと)まれ、59年小普請(こぶしん)奉行に左遷された。のち軍艦奉行、外国奉行（再任）、勘定奉行、町奉行を歴任した。慶応(けいおう)3年12月25日病没。

［多田　実］

『川路寛堂著『川路聖謨之生涯　付録・井上清直略伝』（1970・世界文庫）』

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