Tanuma Okitsugu

In this Japanese name, the family name is Tanuma.

Tanuma Okitsugu
File:Tanuma Okitsugu2.jpg Tanuma Okitsugu
Lord of Sagara
In office 1767–1786
Preceded by	Honda Tadanaka
Succeeded by	Tanuma Okiaki
Personal details
Born	(1719-09-11)September 11, 1719 Edo, Japan
Died	Edo, Japan
Nationality	Japanese

Tanuma Okitsugu (田沼意次) (September 11, 1719 in Edo, Japan – August 25, 1788 in Edo) was a rōjū (senior counselor) of the Tokugawa shogunate who introduced monetary reform. He was also a daimyo, and ruled the Sagara han. He used the title Tonomo-no-kami.

His regime is often identified with rampant corruption and huge inflation of currency. In Tenmei 4 (1784), Okitsugu's son, the wakadoshiyori (junior counselor) Tanuma Okitomo, was assassinated inside Edo Castle. Okitomo was killed in front of his father as both were returning to their norimono after a meeting of the Counselors of State had broken up. Okitomo was killed by Sano Masakoto, a hatamoto. The involvement of senior figures in the bakufu was suspected, but only the assassin himself was punished. The result was that the Tanuma-initiated, liberalizing reforms within the bakufu and the relaxation of the strictures of sakoku were blocked.

Notes

Preceded by Honda Tadanaka

Lord of Sagara 1767-1786

Succeeded by Tanuma Okiaki

References

• Hall, John Whitney. (1955). Tanuma Okitsugu, 1719-1788: Forerunner of Modern Japan. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. OCLC 445621
• Screech, Timon. (2006). Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1822. London: RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 978-0-203-09985-8; OCLC 65177072
• Titsingh, Isaac. (1820). Mémoires et anecdotes sur la dynastie régnante des djogouns, souverains du Japon. Paris: Nepveu. OCLC 255146140.

See also

• Tenmei
• Kuze Hirotami
• Matsudaira Sadanobu