Noe Ito
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
anarchist
, social critic, author and feminist
.
, Tokyo
, and joined the Bluestocking
Society (Seitō-sha; 青鞜社), producer of the feminist arts and culture magazine Seitō
(青鞜) in 1912. Ito wrote social criticism and novels, and translated writings of Emma Goldman
(Emma Goldman, The Tragedy of Woman's Emancipation, New York, Mother Earth Publishing Association, 1906, etc.).
In the summer of her fifth-year at Ueno Girls' High School, under her uncle's management, she was married to a man named Fukutaro. Itō agreed to the marriage because Fukutaro had just returned from America, where she hoped to go. She confided in her sister that when they reached America she would run off and leave him. That never happened, and they remained in Japan. Itō's displeasure with the arrangement deepened when her husband could not support her educational interests, which was a part of the wedding arrangement.
When she started to attend Ueno, she formed a friendship with her English teacher, Jun Tsuji
. He had been her confidante during her marriage. Tsuji allowed Itō to stay with him when she was to be sent back home with her husband, which would have disrupted her education. With Tsuji's support she continued her education and eventually ended her marriage with Fukutaro. Itō and Tsuji began a romantic relationship, and quickly married. They eventually had two sons: Makoto and Ryūji. Their relationship lasted about four years before she was captivated by Sakae Ōsugi.
Starting in 1916, she lived and worked with Ōsugi, where she continued to rise in the feminist group and showed growing leadership potential. On September 16, 1923, in the chaos immediately following the Great Kantō earthquake
, Itō, Ōsugi, and his 6 year old nephew were arrested, beaten to death and thrown into a well by a squad of military police led by Lieutenant Masahiko Amakasu. Noe Itō was 28 years old.
The killing of such high profile anarchists, along with a young child, became known as the Amakasu Incident
, and sparked surprise and anger throughout Japan.
Kijū
Director Kijū Yoshida
made Eros Plus Massacre
(エロス＋虐殺) in 1969, about Sakae Ōsugi, in which Ito features prominently.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
, social critic, author and feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
.
Biography
Itō graduated from Ueno Girls' High School in UenoUeno, Tokyo
is a district in Tokyo's Taitō Ward, best known as the home of Ueno Station and Ueno Park. Ueno is also home to some of Tokyo's finest cultural sites, including the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, and the National Science Museum, as well as a major public concert hall...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, and joined the Bluestocking
Bluestocking
A bluestocking is an educated, intellectual woman. Until the late 18th century, the term had referred to learned people of both sexes. However it subsequently was applied primarily to intellectual women, and the French equivalent bas bleu had a similar connotation. The term later developed...
Society (Seitō-sha; 青鞜社), producer of the feminist arts and culture magazine Seitō
Bluestocking (journal)
Bluestocking was a Japanese feminist magazine founded in 1911 by Raicho Hiratsuka and produced by Hiratsuka and other members of the related group, the Bluestocking Society . An exhausted Hiratsuka turned over the reins to Noe Ito in 1915. Ito produced the journal with little assistance for almost...
(青鞜) in 1912. Ito wrote social criticism and novels, and translated writings of Emma Goldman
Emma Goldman
Emma Goldman was an anarchist known for her political activism, writing and speeches. She played a pivotal role in the development of anarchist political philosophy in North America and Europe in the first half of the twentieth century....
(Emma Goldman, The Tragedy of Woman's Emancipation, New York, Mother Earth Publishing Association, 1906, etc.).
In the summer of her fifth-year at Ueno Girls' High School, under her uncle's management, she was married to a man named Fukutaro. Itō agreed to the marriage because Fukutaro had just returned from America, where she hoped to go. She confided in her sister that when they reached America she would run off and leave him. That never happened, and they remained in Japan. Itō's displeasure with the arrangement deepened when her husband could not support her educational interests, which was a part of the wedding arrangement.
When she started to attend Ueno, she formed a friendship with her English teacher, Jun Tsuji
Jun Tsuji
was a Japanese author: a poet, essayist, playwright, and translator. He has also been described as a Dadaist, nihilist, epicurean, shakuhachi musician, actor, feminist, and bohemian...
. He had been her confidante during her marriage. Tsuji allowed Itō to stay with him when she was to be sent back home with her husband, which would have disrupted her education. With Tsuji's support she continued her education and eventually ended her marriage with Fukutaro. Itō and Tsuji began a romantic relationship, and quickly married. They eventually had two sons: Makoto and Ryūji. Their relationship lasted about four years before she was captivated by Sakae Ōsugi.
Starting in 1916, she lived and worked with Ōsugi, where she continued to rise in the feminist group and showed growing leadership potential. On September 16, 1923, in the chaos immediately following the Great Kantō earthquake
1923 Great Kanto earthquake
The struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...
, Itō, Ōsugi, and his 6 year old nephew were arrested, beaten to death and thrown into a well by a squad of military police led by Lieutenant Masahiko Amakasu. Noe Itō was 28 years old.
The killing of such high profile anarchists, along with a young child, became known as the Amakasu Incident
Amakasu Incident
The Amakasu Incident occurred on September 16, 1923, in the chaos immediately following the Great Kantō earthquake, in Japan. Fearing that anarchists would take advantage of the disaster to overthrow the government, a squad of military police led by Lieutenant Masahiko Amakasu arrested Sakae Osugi,...
, and sparked surprise and anger throughout Japan.
Kijū
Director Kijū Yoshida
Yoshishige Yoshida
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter.-Career:Graduating from Tokyo University, Yoshida entered the Shōchiku studio in 1955 and debuted as a director in 1960 with Rokudenashi...
made Eros Plus Massacre
Eros Plus Massacre
is a Japanese black-and-white film released in 1969. It was directed by Yoshishige Yoshida, who wrote it in cooperation with Masahiro Yamada.-Plot:The film is a biography of anarchist Sakae Ōsugi, who was assassinated by the Japanese military in 1923...
(エロス＋虐殺) in 1969, about Sakae Ōsugi, in which Ito features prominently.
External links
- Biography of Noe Ito on libcom.org
- The life of Noe Itou (Harumi Setouchi's novel Bi wa rantyou ni ari at FukuokaFukuoka Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....
Prefectural Itoshima High School) - Noe Ito on www.spock.com