Shozo Motoki was the first man to use lead movable type in Japan and to employ Western style printing methods.
Background
Shozo Motoki was born on 5 July 1824. His formal name was Nagahisa and his literary name Koso. He was the fourth son of Kitajima San'yata of Nagasaki; he was later adopted by an official interpreter of Dutch named Motoki Shozaemon and
succeeded his foster father in the post of interpreter.
Education
He had occasion to study chemistry, physics, and methods of iron manufacture under a Dutch physician.
Career
He took a great interest in Western technological methods, particularly those involved in printing, and in 1848 purchased a Dutch-made printing press and a font of type for printing European languages. In 1855, when a government-operated movable type printing office was set up in Nagasaki, he was assigned to it. At the same time, he acted as interpreter for the Dutch instructor on steamships attached to a government school of naval warfare called the Nagasaki Kaigun Denshujo.
In 1860 he was assigned to the government iron manufacturing office in Nagasaki and, after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, became head of the office.
He died in September, 1875.