Gustave Emile Boissonade
Encyclopedia
Gustave Emile Boissonade de Fontarabie (7 June 1825 – 27 June 1910) was a French
legal scholar, responsible for drafting much of Japan
's civil code
during the Meiji Era, and honored as one of the founders of modern Japan's legal system.
in 1825 to the famous scholar Jean François Boissonade de Fontarabie
. He was a brilliant law student, and received his doctorate of law with honours from the University of Paris
in 1853. He was in charge of law courses at Paris University until 1864, and was assistant law professor at the University of Grenoble
until 1867.
In 1873 he was invited to lecture on constitutional and criminal law to some Japanese visitors to Paris
, and received an invitation to work in Japan by the Japanese Ministry of Justice
as one of several foreign legal scholars
needed to assist with the drafting of Japan's legal codes and in the renegotiation of the unequal treaties
.
Boissonade remained in Japan for more than 21 years, from 1873 to 1895, and worked as an instructor in the Law School of the Ministry of Justice. He worked closely with Ume Kenjirō
and Hozumi Nobushige
in drafting much of Japan's criminal
and civil law
. He was also an expert in international law
, and was legal advisor to the government in the Taiwan Expedition of 1874
. He was named a consultant to the Genroin
in 1875.
He also opposed Inoue Kaoru
's 1887 proposal to allow non-Japanese judge
s, and cautioned against too rapid movement towards revision of the unequal treaties
.
He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun
(2nd degree) in 1876 and was thus one of the few foreigners so honored at that time. Today, he is honored as one of the founders of Hosei University
. The "Boissonade Tower", the Ichigaya campus of Hosei University halfway between Ichigaya
and Iidabashi
stations in central Tokyo, a 26-story building completed in 2000, was named after him.
He returned to France in 1895 and lived in Antibes
, where his tomb is located.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
legal scholar, responsible for drafting much of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's civil code
Civil code
A civil code is a systematic collection of laws designed to comprehensively deal with the core areas of private law. A jurisdiction that has a civil code generally also has a code of civil procedure...
during the Meiji Era, and honored as one of the founders of modern Japan's legal system.
Biography
Boissonade was born in VincennesVincennes
Vincennes is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.-History:...
in 1825 to the famous scholar Jean François Boissonade de Fontarabie
Jean François Boissonade de Fontarabie
Jean François Boissonade de Fontarabie was a French classical scholar.He was born at Paris. In 1792 he entered the public service during the administration of General Dumouriez. Driven out in 1795, he was restored by Lucien Bonaparte, during whose time of office he served as secretary to the...
. He was a brilliant law student, and received his doctorate of law with honours from the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
in 1853. He was in charge of law courses at Paris University until 1864, and was assistant law professor at the University of Grenoble
University of Grenoble
University of Grenoble or Grenoble University was a university in Grenoble, France until 1970, when it was split into several different institutions:...
until 1867.
In 1873 he was invited to lecture on constitutional and criminal law to some Japanese visitors to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and received an invitation to work in Japan by the Japanese Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Justice (Japan)
The is one of Ministries of the Japanese government.-Meiji Constitution:The Ministry of Justice was established under the Constitution of the Empire of Japan in 1871 as the .-Constitution of Japan:...
as one of several foreign legal scholars
O-yatoi gaikokujin
The Foreign government advisors in Meiji Japan, known in Japanese as oyatoi gaikokujin , were those foreign advisors hired by the Japanese government for their specialized knowledge to assist in the modernization of Japan at the end of the Bakufu and during the Meiji era. The term is sometimes...
needed to assist with the drafting of Japan's legal codes and in the renegotiation of the unequal treaties
Unequal Treaties
“Unequal treaty” is a term used in specific reference to a number of treaties imposed by Western powers, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, on Qing Dynasty China and late Tokugawa Japan...
.
Boissonade remained in Japan for more than 21 years, from 1873 to 1895, and worked as an instructor in the Law School of the Ministry of Justice. He worked closely with Ume Kenjirō
Ume Kenjiro
was a legal scholar in Meiji period Japan, and a founder of Hosei University.- Life and career :Ume was born as the second son of the domain doctor of Matsue domain, Izumo Province . He was sent to study French at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, and upon graduation was employed by the...
and Hozumi Nobushige
Hozumi Nobushige
Baron was a Japanese statesman and legal expert in Meiji period.Hozumi was born in Uwajima Domain, Iyo Province as the second son to a family of kokugaku scholars. He graduated from the Kaisei Gakko, , and studied overseas from 1876-1881...
in drafting much of Japan's criminal
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
and civil law
Private law
Private law is that part of a civil law legal system which is part of the jus commune that involves relationships between individuals, such as the law of contracts or torts, as it is called in the common law, and the law of obligations as it is called in civilian legal systems...
. He was also an expert in international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
, and was legal advisor to the government in the Taiwan Expedition of 1874
Taiwan Expedition of 1874
The , usually referred to in Taiwan and mainland China as the Mudan incident , was a punitive expedition launched by the Japanese in retaliation for the murder of 54 Ryukyuan sailors by Paiwan aborigines near the southwestern tip of Taiwan in December 1871...
. He was named a consultant to the Genroin
Genroin
' was a national assembly in early Meiji Japan, established after the Osaka Conference of 1875. It is also referred to as the Senate of Japan, Genrōin being the word used to describe the Roman Senate, and other western legislatures named after it....
in 1875.
He also opposed Inoue Kaoru
Inoue Kaoru
Count , GCMG was a member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period Empire of Japan. As one of the senior statesman in Japan during that period, he had a tremendous influence on the selection of the nation's leaders and formation of its policies.-Early years:...
's 1887 proposal to allow non-Japanese judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s, and cautioned against too rapid movement towards revision of the unequal treaties
Unequal Treaties
“Unequal treaty” is a term used in specific reference to a number of treaties imposed by Western powers, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, on Qing Dynasty China and late Tokugawa Japan...
.
He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun
Order of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
(2nd degree) in 1876 and was thus one of the few foreigners so honored at that time. Today, he is honored as one of the founders of Hosei University
Hosei University
is a private university based in Tokyo, Japan.The university originated in a school of law, Tōkyō Hōgakusha , established in 1880, and the following year renamed Tōkyō Hōgakkō . This was from 1883 headed by Dr. Gustave Emile Boissonade, and was heavily influenced by the French legal tradition...
. The "Boissonade Tower", the Ichigaya campus of Hosei University halfway between Ichigaya
Ichigaya Station
is a railway station located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan.The ground-level section of the station is managed by the East Japan Railway Company and the underground sections are managed by Tokyo Metro and Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation . The station is served by the JR Chūō-Sōbu Line, Tokyo...
and Iidabashi
Iidabashi Station
is a major interchange station that straddles Tokyo's Chiyoda, Shinjuku and Bunkyō wards. It was originally built as Iidamachi Station , terminus of the then Kobu railway, precursor to today's Chūō Line. Koishikawa Kōrakuen Garden can be reached by walking from this station...
stations in central Tokyo, a 26-story building completed in 2000, was named after him.
He returned to France in 1895 and lived in Antibes
Antibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
, where his tomb is located.