Oki Takato
Encyclopedia
, was a Japan
ese statesman during the early Meiji period
. He was Governor of Tokyo in 1868 and a member of the Privy Council in 1889.
Ōki was born into a samurai
family in Saga
, in Hizen province
(present-day Saga prefecture
). He studied at the domain school Kodokan, and promoted reform of the domain administration. During the Boshin War
he was a leader in the Saga forces committed to the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate
.
After the Meiji Restoration
, he supervised the transfer of the imperial capital from Kyoto
to Tokyo
, and was appointed the first Governor of Tokyo
.
In 1871, he became Education Minister and is credited with establishing Japan's modern educational system. In 1873, he became sangi (councillor) and in 1876, Justice Minister and was concerned with the punishment of the disgruntled ex-samurai involved in the Hagi Rebellion
and the Shimpūren Rebellion. In 1880, he became chairman of the Genrōin
. He also worked on developing Japan's civil code
as the president of the ‘Civil Code Compiling Council’.
In 1884, he was elevated to the title of hakushaku (count) in the new kazoku
peerage system.
From 1888 he served on the Privy Council
, becoming chairman in 1889. Later he was appointed Justice Minister
under the first Yamagata administration
, and the Education Minister under the first Matsukata administration
.
His eldest son, Ōki Enkichi
was also a politician, and a cabinet member during the Taishō period
.
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...
ese statesman during the early Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
. He was Governor of Tokyo in 1868 and a member of the Privy Council in 1889.
Ōki was born into a samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
family in Saga
Saga, Saga
is the capital of Saga Prefecture, located on the island of Kyūshū, Japan.Saga was the capital of Saga Domain in the Edo period, and largest city of former Hizen Province....
, in Hizen province
Hizen Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Saga and Nagasaki prefectures. It was sometimes called , with Higo Province. Hizen bordered on the provinces of Chikuzen and Chikugo. The province was included in Saikaidō...
(present-day Saga prefecture
Saga Prefecture
is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...
). He studied at the domain school Kodokan, and promoted reform of the domain administration. During the Boshin War
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
he was a leader in the Saga forces committed to the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
.
After the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, he supervised the transfer of the imperial capital from Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, and was appointed the first Governor of Tokyo
Politics of Tokyo
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is headed by a publicly elected governor and metropolitan assembly. Its administrative structure is similar to that of Japan's other prefectures. The headquarters building is in the ward of Shinjuku...
.
In 1871, he became Education Minister and is credited with establishing Japan's modern educational system. In 1873, he became sangi (councillor) and in 1876, Justice Minister and was concerned with the punishment of the disgruntled ex-samurai involved in the Hagi Rebellion
Hagi Rebellion
The 1876 was one of a number of ex-samurai uprisings which took place in the early Meiji period against the new Meiji government of Japan-Background:...
and the Shimpūren Rebellion. In 1880, he became chairman of the Genrōin
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....
. He also worked on developing Japan'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...
as the president of the ‘Civil Code Compiling Council’.
In 1884, he was elevated to the title of hakushaku (count) in the new kazoku
Kazoku
The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan that existed between 1869 and 1947.-Origins:Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the ancient court nobility of Kyoto regained some of its lost status...
peerage system.
From 1888 he served on the Privy Council
Privy Council (Japan)
was an advisory council to the Emperor of Japan that operated from 1888 to 1947.-Functions:Modeled in part upon the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, this body advised the throne on matters of grave importance including:...
, becoming chairman in 1889. Later he was appointed Justice Minister
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:...
under the first Yamagata administration
Yamagata Aritomo
Field Marshal Prince , also known as Yamagata Kyōsuke, was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and twice Prime Minister of Japan. He is considered one of the architects of the military and political foundations of early modern Japan. Yamagata Aritomo can be seen as the father of Japanese...
, and the Education Minister under the first Matsukata administration
Matsukata Masayoshi
Prince was a Japanese politician and the 4th and 6th Prime Minister of Japan.-Early life:...
.
His eldest son, Ōki Enkichi
Enkichi Oki
Count was a Japanese statesman in the Taishō period.Ōki was born in Tokyo, Shizuoka Prefecture. His father, Ōki Takatō was one of the leaders in the Meiji Restoration, and served in numerous cabinet posts in the early Meiji government. In 1899, Enkichi succeeded to his father’s title of count ...
was also a politician, and a cabinet member during the Taishō period
Taisho period
The , or Taishō era, is a period in the history of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign of the Taishō Emperor. The health of the new emperor was weak, which prompted the shift in political power from the old oligarchic group of elder statesmen to the Diet...
.