ABSTRACT
ABE MASAHIRO, THE PRIME MINISTER.-From the latter part of the era of Tempo (1830-43) till the era of Ansei (1854-59) was a most troublous time, when Japan could no longer continue her isolation policy, but had to face many diplomatic difficulties with the foreign countries, and the man at the helm during these eventful years was Abe Masahiro, who was then the Prime Minister of the Shogunate, and at the same time Lord of Fukuyama, in the province of Bingo in the west of Japan. About this statesmen opinions are divided. For some historians Abe appears to be a wise, experienced, and broadminded statesman, and an ideal minister. Others hold an entirely different opinion and brand him as an opportunist with no farreaching political ideas or plans. He" hedged," they say, and maintained his position simply by the amiable manner with which he won the confidence of both his superiors and inferiors in the Shogunate. He tried to please the mass of the people in his solution of the questions of the day and did not think much of the future of the country is their verdict. But, in fact, Abe seems to be not so white nor so black as he has been painted. In his foreign policy he was not so obstinate as Lord Mizuno had been, and realized that the foreign countries could not be persuaded to leave Japan in isolation, just because it was the traditional foreign policy of the Tokugawa Shogunate: he knew the international circumstances in which Japan was placed and saw the necessity of building a fleet on the Western model for defence against a possible invasion. One reason why he is accused of flattering his superiors is his attitude towards the ladies of the Shogun's Court, who were difficult to handle. In those days these ladies had much influence in politics, though they were nothing but maids in the Shogun's Court, and were an important factor which could not be ignored by the statesman of the Shogunate. Lord Abe was well aware of this and spared no pains to placate these women in the hope that they might not interfere in politics and everything might go smoothly. Lady Anekoji Iyo, who was a maid to the wife of the Shogun Iyeyoshi, but in fact a concubine of the Shogun, is said to have been in closest touch with Abe, and he often made her very generous presents to keep her in good temper and use her as his
political tool in the Shogun's Court. Lord Mizuno had been very economical, not sparing even the palace, and enforcing sumptuary laws on the common people, but Abe followed a different course. He was almost lavish in his expenditure on the Court, and did not interfere with the people in any way. For these reasons he was very popular in the Court and with the officials, as well as with the people at large. But anyone who thinks that all his policies were initiated by Lord Abe is mistaken, for he was only twenty-five when he succeeded to Lord Mizuno, and it is not at all likely that a young noble made the Premier of the Shogunate, without any political experience, would act much on his own initiative, however much he might be endowed with political ability. The truth is that Abe was simply the leader of one of the two political factions in the Tokugawa Shogunate which had grown up in the course of years, and carried out the plans of his faction against the opposition. We must, however, admit his position in the history of the Tokugawa rule and recognize the political ability and courage with which he fought the Mizuno faction in the Shogunate.
