Souha Hatono
Encyclopedia
Souha Hatono VIII of Japan (the 8th) (鳩野宗巴８世) (1844–1917) was a Japanese physician. He treated wounded soldiers of the both sides equally in the Satsuma rebellion
(1877) which was fought between Satsuma and the new Imperial Government. He faced a trial for trying to benefit the enemy, but was proved innocent. His activities were in accord with the spirit of International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
.
created the Hakuaisha, a relief organization to provide medical assistance to soldiers wounded in the Satsuma Rebellion. This organization became the Japanese Red Cross Society in 1887, with Sano as its first president.
Satsuma Rebellion
The was a revolt of Satsuma ex-samurai against the Meiji government from January 29 to September 24, 1877, 9 years into the Meiji Era. It was the last, and the most serious, of a series of armed uprisings against the new government.-Background:...
(1877) which was fought between Satsuma and the new Imperial Government. He faced a trial for trying to benefit the enemy, but was proved innocent. His activities were in accord with the spirit of International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
.
Souha Hatono VIII of Japan
- He was born to a family of physicians in Kumamoto, KyushuKyushuis the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1844. Souha Hatono Ⅰ(1641–1697) was said to sail to Netherlands without permission and studied medicine. Souda Hatono Ⅶ studied surgery of Hanaoka school of Hanaoka Seishū and taught medicine at the family's private school. Souha Hatono VIII was the son of Souda Hatono Ⅶ and was given an award for treating 300 wounded soldiers at the Battle of Ueno in 1868 in Tokyo.
Satsuma Rebellion
- In 1877, a civil war broke between the Government and Satsuma which had dissatisfaction of the new Imperial Government, and Kumamoto became the battlefield. Hatono was violently demanded to treat the wounded soldiers of the Satsuma army, but he replied that the request was accepted on the condition that soldiers of the both sides, as well as citizens, were treated equally on February 23, 1877. The Satsuma leaders also accepted the condition. He immediately opened hospitals with the physicians of the Kumamoto Province and hospitalized 200 persons at schools, temples and private houses. Later, Hatono was tried for possibly benefiting the enemy by the Government temporal court, but he was freed without sentence three days later. A document left in his house indicated that Hatono had no intention of benefiting the enemy and we will not examine his activities further.
Forerunners of the Red Cross
- Hatono's activities were in accord with the spirit of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent MovementInternational Red Cross and Red Crescent MovementThe International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
.
Ryoun Takamatsu
- At the time of the Battle of HakodateBattle of HakodateThe was fought in Japan from October 20, 1868 to May 17, 1869, between the remnants of the Tokugawa shogunate army, consolidated into the armed forces of the rebel Ezo Republic, and the armies of the newly formed Imperial government...
(1868–1869), Ryou-un Takamatsu treated both sides equally ; the remnants of the Tokugawa shogunate army and, and the armies of the newly formed Imperial government (composed mainly of forces of the Chōshū and the Satsuma domains).
Sano Tsunetami
In May, 1877, Sano TsunetamiSano Tsunetami
Count was a Japanese statesman and founder of the Japanese Red Cross Society. His son, Admiral Sano Tsuneha, was a leading figure in the establishment of the Scout Association of Japan.-Biography:...
created the Hakuaisha, a relief organization to provide medical assistance to soldiers wounded in the Satsuma Rebellion. This organization became the Japanese Red Cross Society in 1887, with Sano as its first president.
Why was Hatono not appreciated ?
- It was apparent that the activities of Hatono were the forerunners of the Red Cross in Japan. The first appeal for the establishment of the Hakuaisha (which later became Japan Red Cross) was made on May 1, 1977 by Sano TsunetamiSano TsunetamiCount was a Japanese statesman and founder of the Japanese Red Cross Society. His son, Admiral Sano Tsuneha, was a leading figure in the establishment of the Scout Association of Japan.-Biography:...
and the day of the establishment of the Japan Red Cross is May 1, while the start of the activities was on May 3, at Shonenji Temple, Gyokuto-son, Tamanagun, Kumamoto. On the contrary, Hatono started his activities on February 23, at the Umekiko of Takahira, Shimizu, Kumamoto. According to the following newspaper, it was because his activities were not reported to the central government. - In 1998, "a nonprofit organization in honor of the place of the origin of the Red Cross activities" was approved in Kumamoto.