Today, I write about “One of the Choshu five.”
A monument to the group (They were called “Chosyu Five”) stands at University College London.
1863, Ito Shunsuke , Inoue Monta , Yamao Yozo , Endo Kinsuke , Nomura Yakichi.
1854, The Shogunate accepted America’s demand for the opening of Japan to the world.
Choshu Domain was against it.
They did excessive action.
1863, British Legination Attack , The attack to supporter of opening the country.
Ito Shunsuke was in it.
He was young and lower position.
He and young man doubt it.
They plan a secret passage to Britain.
Feudal lord said , “don’t forgive but connive”
Feudal lord offered funds and said , “Study at the risk of your life”.
If arrested for secret passage, they are death penalties at that time.
They received the support from The British Embassy and the British trading company.
1863, They threw all away and left to Britain. (Ito Shunsuke , Inoue Monta , Yamao Yozo , Endo Kinsuke , Nomura Yakichi.)
They were surprised.
The steam locomotive was running in London.
There was paper money printed finely.
And there was democracy.
They lodged at the house of Alexander William Williamson (scientist).
At the time, University College London (UCL) was the only university in the UK that accepted applicants irrespective of race.
The group registered on Williamson’s course in analytical chemistry and Catherine Williamson taught them English and helped them to adapt to British society.
As well as their studies, Williamson arranged visits to industries such as iron foundries, mines, railways, farms and shipbuilding.
They studied desperately.
In their hometown and Choshu, the foreigner was still disliked.
1864, War of their hometown,Choshu and foreign country breaks out.
Ito Shunsuke and Inoue Monta returned to the hometown, in order to stop war.
Ito Shunsuke makes an effort for a peace negotiation as an interpreter of Choshu.
Then, they participated in the battle with the shogunate .
October 1867, The samurai’s time was over.
Ito Shunsuke renamed to Ito Hirofumi.
After the Meiji Restoration , he was appointed governor of Hyogo Prefecture , junior councilor for Foreign Affairs, and sent to the United States in 1870 to study Western currency systems.
Returning to Japan in 1871, he established Japan’s taxation system.
1885, he became the first prime minister of Japan.
1909, he was assassinated in Harbin Railway Station.
A portrait of Itō Hirobumi was on the Series C 1,000 yen note of Japan from 1963 until a new series was issued in 1984.
A monument to the Japanese students stands today on the Terrace behind the UCL South Cloisters, and a monument to the Williamsons is being unveiled at Brookwood in July, to mark the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Choshu five.
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