Background
Taguchi Ukichi was on June 12, 1855 in Tokyo, Japan. He was bereaved of his father when a child.
卯吉 田口
Taguchi Ukichi was on June 12, 1855 in Tokyo, Japan. He was bereaved of his father when a child.
Taguchi entered the Numazu Military School, then studied economics at the English language school attached to the Finance Ministry and served in the Banknote Bureau.
After resignation Taguchi wrote "On The Japanese Economy" (1878), the following year started the magazine "Toyo Keizai Zasshi" (Oriental Economic Magazine) and as its president and chief editor, advocated free trade and opposed government protection of trade. As staff member of the Omeisha Society and the Jiyu Shimbun, earnestly advocated the cause of civil rights. He was also active in the business world as a director of several companies. Taguchi served as a member of the Tokyo Municipal Assembly. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1894.
Ukichi was noted as an economist of the Manchester School and a champion for free trade. He wrote "A Short Story of Japanese Civilization" which was the first book of its kind written in Japan. Later Taguchi started the magazine Shikai (Sea of History) which contributed to the study of the history of Japan. In general, he wrote many books on economic policy, treaty revision, public finance and other phases of national economy.
Taguchi's approach also differed drastically from that of earlier histories, which praised individual historical figures and elevated them as heroes. Taguchi denounced this practice, and many other elements of Confucian moralist history, seeking to describe history as accurately and objectively as possible, eliminating the literary or mythological aspects of heroes and villains.