著者

宮永 孝

出版者

法政大学社会学部学会

雑誌

社会志林 = Hosei journal of sociology and social sciences (ISSN:13445952)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.68, no.2, pp.1-72, 2021-09

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Yoshizo Yamaguchi (1883~1920, 山口義三) was a socialist and writer as well. Koken (孤剣) is an alias for him. He was put into the Miyagi Kangoku, a prison in Sendai, because of an article of his that was published in a magazine. After his release, Sanshiro Ishikawa (1876~1956, 石川三四郎), a social activist and anarchist, held a welcome meeting for the liberated convict at the Kinkikan (錦輝館) in Kanda in Tokyo on 22, June, 1908. The then socialists were divided into 3 sects, snarling at each other. 65 men and women joined the meeting, enjoying, first, the greeting of promotors, and, later, sideshows. The atmosphere in the assembly hall seemed to be amiable and everything was progressing fairly well. But when a sword dance reached its climax, some radicals began to wave red flags in the hall, singing a Revolutionary Song aloud. The andience remained silent, sitting on the fence.The welcome meeting ended toward evening. Soon some stalwart socialists and their comrades rushed to the streets, singing a Revolutionary Song at the top of their voices, and waving the red flags. The police watching for them in and outside the building dashed against them, asking for their flags. But they refused to hand them over because their flags were symbolic of their life it self. The scrambles between the police and the socialists broke out outside of the Kinkikan and near the Higher Commercial School (高等商業学校, nowadays Hitotsubashi University). The fighting continued for half an hour to one hour, attracting a large curious crowd, while the police increased their strength. Those resisting the police were arrested and were taken to the Kanda Police Station.Two of the radicals, Sakae Ōsugi (1885~1923, 大杉栄, murdered by the military police with his wife and nephew when the Kanto Earthquake broke out on 1, September, 1923), and Katsuzo Arahata (1887~1981, 荒畑勝三) were pulled out of jail naked and were heavily assaulted. The violence of the policemen knocked Arahata senseless.Ten men and four women were indicted for breaching the Peace Regulations and assault and battery charges for obstructing policemen’s carrying out their duties. Ten men did time at the Chiba Kangoku (i.e. prison) for one year or two years and a half depending on their offences or previous convictions.The Red Flag incident was only a struggle for flags but it caused a lèse-majesté (disrespect for the Imperial Family). While ten men were in jail at the Kanda Police Station, someone inscribed a Chinese poem on a white wall : “Cut down with one stroke the head of the Emperor, the ray of the setting sun is cold at Paris Castle”. The poem shocked the Cabinet, bringing hard pressure upon the socialists.