Fukuchi Ouchi - Fukuchi Ouchi

A Meiji era newspaper journalist and man of letters. His real name was Gen'ichiro. He was born on March 23, Tempo 12, to a doctor's family in Nagasaki. Renowned for his genius from an early age, he studied Chinese classics under Osagawa Toshu. He then studied Dutch studies under Namura Kakei and went to Edo. In 1859 (Ansei 6), he entered Moriyama Takichirō's private school and studied English. In the same year, he entered the service of the shogunate, progressing through the ranks as an interpreter. In 1861 (Bunkyu 1) and 1865 (Keio 1), he accompanied shogunate envoys to Europe, where he studied international law and other subjects, and also developed an interest in newspapers. At the time of the Meiji Restoration, he made a proposal in opposition to the return of imperial rule to the emperor, but it was not accepted. In 1868 (Keio 4), he published the Koko Shinbun. The publication of the magazine was banned by the Meiji government due to its pro-shogunate content. Fukuchi was also imprisoned, but released after a short time. In 1870 (Meiji 3), he was discovered by Ito Hirobumi and entered the service of the Ministry of Finance. In the same year, he accompanied Ito to the United States to conduct research on the financial system. After returning to Japan, he traveled to the US as a member of the Iwakura Mission. Around this time, he became acquainted with Kido Takayoshi. In 1874, he resigned from the Ministry of Finance and joined the Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun as chief editor. He advocated gradualism in opposition to the liberal civil rights movement at the time. Although he was criticized as a government reporter, his editorials, which he called "Goso," always attracted attention. In 1877, he served in the Seinan War, and the newspaper's reputation increased due to his detailed reporting of the war situation. However, after the publication of the Official Gazette in 1883, the business went awry, and he left the company in 1888. He was active thereafter as a novelist and playwright. He wrote political and historical novels. He also worked hard to improve Kabuki, founding the Kabukiza Theatre and writing plays such as "Kasuga no Tsubone" and "Kyokaku Harusamegasa." In 1900 (Meiji 33), he became an advisor to the Yamato Shimbun newspaper and published many editorials and novels in the paper. He passed away on January 4, 1906.

[Teruo Ariyama]

"Tamura Hisashi's manuscript "Fukuchi Ochi" (included in "Three Generations of Opinionators 3", 1962, Jiji Press)" ▽ "Yanagida Izumi's "Fukuchi Ochi" (1965, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治の新聞記者、文学者。本名源一郎。天保(てんぽう)12年3月23日長崎の医師の家に生まれる。幼少時から秀才の誉れ高く、長川東洲(おさがわとうしゅう)に漢学を学ぶ。ついで名村花蹊(なむらかけい)に蘭学(らんがく)を学び、江戸に上る。1859年（安政6）森山多吉郎の塾に入り、英学を修めた。同年、幕府に出仕し、通訳として累進。1861年（文久1）と1865年（慶応1）の二度にわたり幕府使節に従って渡欧、国際法などを研究したほか、新聞にも関心をもつ。明治維新に際しては、大政奉還に反対する建言をしたが、入れられなかった。1868年（慶応4）『江湖新聞(こうこしんぶん)』を発行。佐幕的内容のため明治政府により発行禁止される。福地も入獄したが、短期日で釈放。1870年（明治3）伊藤博文(いとうひろぶみ)にみいだされ、大蔵省に出仕する。同年、伊藤に従い渡米、財政制度の調査研究にあたる。いったん帰国ののち、岩倉使節団の一員として洋行。このころ、木戸孝允(きどたかよし)の知遇を得る。1874年大蔵省を辞職し『東京日日新聞』に主筆として入社。おりからの自由民権論に対抗して漸進主義を主張した。御用記者と非難されながらも「吾曹(ごそう)」と自称する彼の社説は、つねに注目された。1877年西南戦争に従軍し、詳細な戦況報道によって新聞の声価は高まった。しかし1883年に『官報』が発行されてからは経営不振となり、1888年退社した。以後は小説家、劇作家として活躍。政治小説、歴史小説を著した。歌舞伎(かぶき)の改良にも尽力し、歌舞伎座を創立したり、『春日局(かすがのつぼね)』『侠客春雨傘(きょうかくはるさめがさ)』などの脚本を書いた。1900年（明治33）『やまと新聞』顧問となり、多くの論説、小説を同紙に発表した。明治39年1月4日死去。

［有山輝雄］

『田村寿稿「福地桜痴」（『三代言論人集 3』所収・1962・時事通信社）』▽『柳田泉著『福地桜痴』（1965・吉川弘文館）』

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