Foreign government advisors in Meiji Japan facts for kids

The O-yatoi Gaikokujin (pronounced Oh-yah-toy Guy-koh-koo-jin) were "hired foreigners" in Meiji period Japan. The Japanese government and local areas hired these experts for their special knowledge and skills. Their main job was to help Japan become a modern country very quickly. The word O-yatoi means someone hired temporarily, like a day laborer, but it was used politely for these foreign experts.

More than 2,000, and possibly up to 3,000, foreign experts worked for the Japanese government. Many more worked for private companies. They had many different jobs. Some were highly paid government advisors, while others were college professors, teachers, or skilled technicians.

When Japan first opened up to the world, the old Tokugawa Shogunate government started hiring foreigners. For example, they hired Philipp Franz von Siebold, a German diplomat, and Hendrik Hardes, a Dutch naval engineer. They also hired François Léonce Verny, a French naval engineer, and Richard Henry Brunton, a British civil engineer. Most O-yatoi were hired with government approval for two or three-year contracts. They usually did their jobs well.

A big reason for hiring these foreigners was to learn new technologies and get advice on modern systems and ways of life. Almost 40% of the O-yatoi worked in public works, helping build things like roads and lighthouses. As Japanese students finished their training at places like the Imperial College, Tokyo or after studying abroad, they gradually took over the jobs from the O-yatoi.

The O-yatoi were paid very well. In 1874, there were 520 of them, and their salaries cost ¥2.272 million. This was a huge amount, about 33.7 percent of Japan's entire national budget that year! For example, Thomas William Kinder, who managed the Osaka Mint in 1870, earned about 1,000 Yen a month, which was similar to what a chief engineer in British India earned.

Even though these foreign experts helped Japan modernize a lot, the Japanese government did not want them to stay in Japan forever. Most of them went back to their home countries after their contracts ended. However, a few, like the architect Josiah Conder and the engineer William Kinninmond Burton, chose to stay.

The official system of hiring O-yatoi ended in 1899. This was when extraterritoriality ended in Japan, meaning foreigners were no longer under their own country's laws while in Japan. Still, Japan continues to hire foreign experts today, especially in education and professional sports.

Notable O-yatoi Gaikokujin

Many foreign experts contributed to Japan's development. Here are some examples from different fields:

Agriculture

These experts helped Japan improve its farming methods and crops.

• William Smith Clark
• Max Fesca

Medical science

Foreign doctors and scientists helped modernize Japan's healthcare and medical education.

• Erwin von Bälz
• Julius Scriba

Law, administration, and economics

These individuals advised the Japanese government on new laws, how to run the country, and economic systems.

• Hermann Roesler, a legal expert and economist
• Albert Mosse, a legal expert

Military

Foreign military officers and engineers helped train the Japanese army and navy and build important facilities.

• Léonce Verny, who helped build the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal
• Klemens Wilhelm Jakob Meckel, an Army instructor

Natural science and mathematics

Scientists and mathematicians helped Japan develop in fields like physics, chemistry, and geology.

• Sir James Alfred Ewing, a physicist and engineer who helped start the study of seismology (earthquakes) in Japan
• Edward S. Morse, a zoologist

Engineering

Engineers were crucial for building Japan's new infrastructure, including lighthouses, railways, and bridges.

• Richard Henry Brunton, famous for building lighthouses
• Josiah Conder, an architect
• Johannis de Rijke, a civil engineer who worked on flood control and river projects

Art and music

These experts introduced new forms of art and music to Japan.

• Edoardo Chiossone, an engraver
• Franz Eckert, a musician

Liberal arts, humanities and education

Educators and scholars helped reform Japan's education system and introduced new ideas in subjects like history and literature.

• Basil Hall Chamberlain, a Japanologist and professor
• Leroy Lansing Janes, an educator and missionary

Missionary activities

Some foreigners came as missionaries but also contributed to education and other fields.

• Guido Verbeck, a missionary and educator
• Horace Wilson, a teacher credited with bringing baseball to Japan

See also

In Spanish: Asesores extranjeros del Gobierno Meiji para niños

• Foreign cemeteries in Japan
• Foreign relations of Japan
• Meiji period