(Voice actor) Mr.Akira Daniel Duncan

The current Imperial Palace where the Emperor resides used to be the Edo castle where the shogun of the Tokugawa clan lived during the Edo period. Because the Tokugawa regime assumed Japan’s politics, it was the center of politics in the Edo period. The councilors (equivalent to the modern-day ministers) of the Tokugawa regime commuted to the Edo castle from their respective mansions to deal with politics. Regarding the positions of the Tokugawa regime, everyday politics were set forward by the councilors discussing the matters. However, when a huge political problem occurred and needed to be solved in a hurry, a chief minister (equivalent to a modern-day Prime Minister) was placed and dealt with politics almost autocratically. The Ii family of the Hikone domain (now Hikone city, Shiga prefecture) had multiple members be appointed to chief minister. They were one of the feudal lord families that were well-trusted by the shogun of the Tokugawa clan, and was the spearhead (the role to fight with the enemy first) of the Tokugawa army. In 1858, Naosuke Ii, who was the head of the Ii family, was installed as the chief minister. Japan had a sea ban policy (called sakoku in Japan) in place until then and traded with the Western countries only through the Netherlands, but in the 1850s, countries such as the US, England, France, and Russia sent delegates on numerous occasions seeking to trade. While they sent delegates to discuss trading in a seemingly friendly fashion, these countries threated with military force. And Naosuke Ii, who knew the differences between the military forces of Japan and that of the foreign countries, thought they needed to accept the Western countries’ demands and open up the country (meaning abolishing sakoku and trading with various countries). However, at the time, there were many people in Japan who opposed trading with foreign countries. The Imperial Family especially opposed it. It was widely accepted back then that important political policies required the Emperor’s approval. Naosuke Ii thought that it would be too late if he waited for the Emperor’s approval, so he made treaties with the countries out of his own discretion. Of course, this decision was heavily criticized by the opposition. So Naosuke implemented an ironfisted policy against the opposition called Ansei Purge. These policies implemented by Naosuke led to himself being resented by many people. Still, he tackled politics with the conviction that he was doing the right thing for Japan and the Tokugawa family. But the opposition thought that Naosuke Ii was the person leading Japan into a crisis, and plotted the assassination of Naosuke Ii. March 1860. Noasuke Ii set out to one of the entrances to Edo castle, Sakuradamon gate, from his mansion in Hikone domain, as usual.