Kyuzo Toyama
Kyuzo Toyama (1868 – 1910, Japanese: 當山久三, Tōyama Kyūzō) was an Okinawan political activist. He is commonly referred to as the "father of Okinawan emigration" due to his work in sending Okinawans abroad.
Kyuzo Toyama | |
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當山久三 | |
 Statue of Kyuzo Toyama in Kin Town, Okinawa | |
| Born | December 22, 1868 |
| Died | September 17, 1910 |
| Nationality | Ryukyuan, later Japanese |
Early life
In 1868, Toyama was born in the town of Kin, Okinawa to a wealthy family.[1] However, his family started to become poorer due to the economic situation of Okinawa following integration into Japan.[1][2]
Emigration activism
In 1898, Toyama moved to Tokyo in order to find work. While he had little success finding a job, he became interested in the subject of emigration when he read a book about it in a used bookstore.[1] A year later, he played a major role in sending the first Okinawan migrants to Hawaii,[1][3][4] which already had migrants from other parts of Japan. In 1903, he led the second wave of Okinawan migrants and stayed in Hawaii for 6 months to investigate the treatment of these migrants, who worked for plantation companies.[1]
Political career
After his investigation in Hawaii, he returned to Okinawa and became an emigration agent, sending more Okinawans to Hawaii, North America and South America.[1] In 1909, he was elected to be a part of the newly-established prefectural assembly of Okinawa but died a year later due to a disease.[1]
References
- "The Century of Emigration". rca.open.ed.jp. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
- Clayton, Bruce D. (2004). Shotokan's Secret: The Hidden Truth Behind Karate's Fighting Origins. Black Belt Communications. ISBN 978-0-89750-144-6.
- "The statue of Kyuzo Toyama | visitkintown.jp". Kin town official tourlist guide. 2016-03-22. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
- "Center for Okinawan Studies". Retrieved 2020-07-08.
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