Sakamoto Ryoma
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Sakamoto Ryōma (坂本 龍馬 Sakamoto Ryōma January 3, 1836 - December 10, 1867) was born in Kochi, Shikoku, Japan, of Tosa han. His family in previous generations had acquired enough wealth as sake brewers to purchase the rank of merchant samurai, which was the lowest rank of samurai. After being bullied at school, his older sister enrolled him in fencing school. By the time he reached adulthood he was a master swordsman. Once the United States forced Japan to open its borders samurai throughout the country were up in arms, but Sakamoto Ryōma had a better grasp of the superiority of the Western technology and spent years preparing Japan for the Meiji Restoration. He was crucial in the creation of a modern Japanese navy. For hundreds of years Japan had been under isolationist rule so a navy was created from scratch. Eventually, he secured funds for his navy from various nationalist han. Next, Sakamoto negotiated a secret alliance between Choshu and Satsuma Provinces. Satsuma and Choshu historically had been absolute enemies.
Sakamoto officially was a low-ranking samurai, but he managed to make ties with some of the most influential daimyo and samurai. Also, he developed trade with foreigners in order to obtain modern weapons and naval technology.
Sakamoto was a visionary who envisioned a Japan without any feudal trappings. He read about and was inspired by the example of the United States where "all men are created equal." He realized that in order to compete with an industrial, technological outside world, Japanese people must be used according to their ability. After centuries of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the hereditary leaders and samurai had grown increasingly impotent.
Sakamoto Ryōma was killed at the age of 31, not long before the Meiji Restoration took place. It is rumored that he was killed by the Shinsengumi; however, Japanese history books report his death was at the hands of his own men, who grew jealous of Sakamoto's ever-increasing power and influence.
In November 15, 2003, the Kochi Airport was renamed to the Kochi Ryoma Airport in honor of this man.
Sakamoto used the alias Saitani Umetarō (才谷梅太郎 Saitani Umetarō) when he worked against the shogun.ja:坂本龍馬 nl:Sakamoto Ryōma zh:坂本龙马