Iwamoto Chizuna (Japanese: 岩本 千綱, 1858–1920) was a Japanese soldier and adventurer.
Iwamoto Chizuna | |
|---|---|
岩本 千綱 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1858 Kōchi, Tosa Domain, Japan[1] |
| Died | 1920 (aged 61–62) Japan |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Imperial Japanese Army |
| Years of service | 1879-1887 |
Biography
editIwamoto Chizuna was born into a samurai family in 1858.[2]
In 1879, Iwamoto graduated from the Imperial Japanese Army Academy and eventually achieved the rank of first lieutenant (中尉, chūi). In 1887, he was discharged from the Army on account of his association with members of the Freedom and People's Rights Movement including Inukai Tsuyoshi.[1][2]
In 1892, he moved to Siam and devoted himself to encouraging economic and cultural ties between Japan and Siam.[1] He also visited Luang Phrabang.[3]
Iwamoto and Ishibashi Usaburō founded the Siam Colonization Society (暹羅植民協会, Shamu Shokumin Kyōkai) with financial support from Chaophraya Surasakmontri.[2] The society was later reorganized as the Siam Colonization Company (暹羅植民会社, Shamu Shokumin Kaisha). According to Ishibashi, the long-term goals of the company included, among other things, "establish[ing] a latent Japanese influence [in Siam]" and "install[ing] Japanese in the Siamese government".[2]
Before Iwamoto returned home to recruit Japanese peasants for the colonization project, Surasakmontri gave him a golden sword to be sharpened in Japan.[2] The Siam Colonization Company ended in disaster with many of the Japanese immigrants winding up dead or enslaved as coolies.[2]
In 1897, Iwamoto published a book about his travels — A True Account of an Expedition to the Three Countries of Siam, Laos, and Annam (暹羅老檛安南三国探検実記, Shamu-Raosu-An'nan Sangoku Tanken Jikki).[1][4] He died in 1920.[1]
Further reading
edit- 岩本 Iwamoto, 千綱 Chizuna. "岩本千綱氏暹羅国旅行目的報告書 Mr. Iwamoto Chizuna's Report on the Purpose of his Travels to Siam" (PDF). 早稲田大学図書館 Waseda University Library. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e "Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures - IWAMOTO Chizuna". National Diet Library. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Flood, E. Thaddeus. "The Shishi Interlude in Old Siam: An Aspect of the Meiji Impact in Southeast Asia" (PDF). Eastern Illinois University. University of Santa Clara. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ 菊池 Kikuchi, 陽子 Yōko. "Japanese Involvement in Laos: From the Invasion of the Japanese Army in Northern French Indochina in 1940 to the End of World War Two" (PDF). CORE. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ 岩本 Iwamoto, 千綱 Chizuna (1897). "暹羅老檛安南三国探検実記". National Diet Library. 博文館 Hakubunkan. Retrieved 3 April 2024.