Ujaku Akita
Encyclopedia
was the pseudonym
of (30 January 1883 – 12 May 1962), a Japanese
author and Esperantist
. He is best known for his plays, books, and short stories for children.
Born in Kuroishi, Aomori Prefecture
, he studied English literature
at Waseda University
and became interested in socialism
. In 1913 he learnt Esperanto from Vasili Eroshenko
, as a result of a chance meeting, and soon became a leader of the proletarian Esperanto movement, and a member of the "La Semanto" group in 1921. He visited the USSR in 1927 for the celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the revolution. In January 1931 he helped found the national organization, Japana Prolet-Esperantista Unio (JPEU), with about 150 members, and with Akita as president. He translated Eroshenko's writings into Japanese, and wrote a textbook on Esperanto.
The rise of militarism in Japan led to difficulties for Akita; in the autumn of 1933 he was detained for several weeks, and forced to write a long statement about his activities. Nevertheless he continued to work, founding a magazine the next year, Teatoro (named after the Esperanto word for theatre), which still exists. He joined the New Cooperative Theatre (Shinkyō Gekidan) but its activities were limited because it was no longer safe to stage plays with political themes. The JPEU was shut down by the police.
After the war he established a performing arts school and was active in other organizations, such as the New Japan Literary Society (Shin Nihon Bungakukai). He died in 1962. A museum in his hometown was opened in 1979.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of (30 January 1883 – 12 May 1962), a Japanese
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...
author and Esperantist
Esperantist
An Esperantist is a person who speaks or uses Esperanto. Etymologically, an Esperantist is someone who hopes...
. He is best known for his plays, books, and short stories for children.
Born in Kuroishi, Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
, he studied English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
at Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
and became interested in socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
. In 1913 he learnt Esperanto from Vasili Eroshenko
Vasili Eroshenko
Vasili Yakovlevich Eroshenko was an anarchist writer, esperantist, linguist, and teacher. At the age of four, he contracted measles and as a result, became blind....
, as a result of a chance meeting, and soon became a leader of the proletarian Esperanto movement, and a member of the "La Semanto" group in 1921. He visited the USSR in 1927 for the celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the revolution. In January 1931 he helped found the national organization, Japana Prolet-Esperantista Unio (JPEU), with about 150 members, and with Akita as president. He translated Eroshenko's writings into Japanese, and wrote a textbook on Esperanto.
The rise of militarism in Japan led to difficulties for Akita; in the autumn of 1933 he was detained for several weeks, and forced to write a long statement about his activities. Nevertheless he continued to work, founding a magazine the next year, Teatoro (named after the Esperanto word for theatre), which still exists. He joined the New Cooperative Theatre (Shinkyō Gekidan) but its activities were limited because it was no longer safe to stage plays with political themes. The JPEU was shut down by the police.
After the war he established a performing arts school and was active in other organizations, such as the New Japan Literary Society (Shin Nihon Bungakukai). He died in 1962. A museum in his hometown was opened in 1979.
In Japanese
- Higashi no Kodomo ("Children in the East", anthology, 1921)
- Taiyô to Hanazono ("The Sun and the Flower Garden", anthology, 1921)
- Mohan Esuperanto-Dokusyu: Memlernanto de Esperanto ("Esperanto by Self-Study", with Osaka Kenji, textbook, 1927)
- Ujaku jiden ("Autobiography", 1953)
Translated into Esperanto
- Tri dramoj ("Three plays" translated in 1927 by Haĵime Ŝuzui, Kaname Susuki)
- Fonto de sudroj ("ShudraShudraShudra is the fourth Varna, as prescribed in the Purusha Sukta of the Rig veda, which constitutes society into four varnas or Chaturvarna. The other three varnas are Brahmans - priests, Kshatriya - those with governing functions, Vaishya - agriculturalists, cattle rearers and traders...
s' Fountain") - Danco de skeletoj ("Skeleton Dance")
- Nokto ĉe landolimoj. ("Night at the Frontiers")
- Fonto de sudroj ("Shudra
- Tiuj, kiuj ĉirkaŭas la ĉerkon ("Those who gather round the coffin" translated c. 1925 by Junko Sibata)