展開（８月１７日～１８日）

The development process of  Ube rice riot(August 17-18)

　１９１８年（大正７）の宇部炭鉱の出炭高は、東見初炭鉱が３２万９９５１トン、沖ノ山炭鉱（本坑・新坑）が３２万１８３１トン、第二沖ノ山炭鉱が１６万６０２８トンであり、これらの３炭鉱（４坑）で同年の宇部炭鉱出炭高１０４万４３２１トンの７８．３％を占めていた。これら３炭鉱４坑はすべて海底炭鉱で海面下に坑道がありました。

　『山口県史　資料編　近代５』によれば、大正７年の従業員数は沖ノ山炭鉱（本坑・新坑）１９３２名、東見初炭鉱２３０８名、第二沖ノ山炭鉱１１００名です。

　宇部の米騒動の裁判における予審被告は３７３名で、そのうち東見初炭鉱鉱夫が１５２名、沖ノ山炭鉱新坑鉱夫が７８名、同鉱本坑鉱夫が４０名、第二沖ノ山炭鉱鉱夫が７０名です。すなわち、３炭鉱４坑の鉱夫が全体の９１．２％を占めていました。

　宇部米騒動は３炭鉱４坑の鉱夫が主体となって行動しました。３炭鉱４坑の鉱夫以外で暴動に参加した鉱夫１４名を加えると、予審被告の９５％は鉱夫でした。

(1) Movement of miners at 3 mines (4 pits)

  In 1918 (Taisho 7), Ube coal mine produced 329,951 tons of  Higashi Mizome Coal Mine, 321,831 tons of Okinoyama Coal Mine (main mine and new mine), and 166,028 tons of Second Okinoyama Coal Mine.   These three mines (4 mines) accounted for 78.3% of  Ube coal mine's coal output of 1,044,321 tons in the same year.  These three coal mines( four pithead) were all submarine coal mines and had tunnels below sea level.

  According to “Yamaguchi Prefectural History, Data, Modern 5”, the number of employees in Taisho7/1918 was 1,932 people Okinoyama Coal Mine (main mine(pit) and new mine(pit)), 2,308 people  Higashi Mizome Coal Mine, and 1,100 people Second  Okinoyama Coal Mine.

  There were 373 defendants of pretrial hearing in the Ube rice riot trial, of which 152 were Higashi Mizome's miners, 78 were  Okinoyama new mine's miners, 40 Okinoyama main mine's miners, and 70 Second Okinoyama's miners.  In other words, miners from 3 Mines (4 Pits) accounted for 91.2% of the total defendants.

  Ube rice riot was mainly conducted by miners from three coal mines (four pits).  Adding 14 miners who took part in the riot other than miners from three mines(4 pits), 95% of the defendants were miners.

表は管理者作成（『山口県史研究　第２４号（クリック・内部リンク）』６頁掲載）。（拡大可・以下同じ）。

「沖ノ山」は本坑と新坑の合計。本坑、新坑毎の鉱産高は資料がない。

The table shows the amount of Ube coal mine output in Taisho 7(1918).

The English translation of the  materials of sources omitted.

The table is created by the administrator ("Yamaguchi Prefectural History Study No. 24 (click / internal link)", page 6). (Can be expanded).

 "Okinoyama" is the total of the main pit and the new pit. There is no data on the mining output of the main pit and new pit.

　沖ノ山炭鉱本坑は現在の宇部合同庁舎（宇部市新町）の周辺にあった。

　沖ノ山炭鉱本坑は、明治末年に、沖ノ山炭鉱組合（衆議院議員渡邊祐策頭取）が新川（真締川）河口を埋め立てて開坑した。海底炭坑の坑口は河口にあり、坑道は宇部湾全域に広がる炭層に張り巡らされた。

　米価の暴騰により、沖ノ山炭鉱本坑鉱夫は３割賃上げを要求したものの、沖ノ山炭鉱組合は米廉売券の配付しかしないで、賃上げの回答を引き延ばした。このため、本坑鉱夫は８月１６日夜に集会を開き、翌日から同盟罷業に入ることを決めたため、炭鉱には緊迫した状況が生まれた。このことを北川嘉七船木警察署宇部分署長は察知して集会に駆け付けた。そして、分署長の仲介で、１７日朝に鉱夫の代表者を分署に集めて協議した。その結果、両者は賃金の１割５分値上げで争議の打開を図った。本坑鉱夫はこの回答に不満足であったものの、本坑では当初は騒動は発生しなかった。本坑鉱夫は、新坑鉱夫が１７日夜に襲撃をはじめたのちに騒動に加わりました。 

 The night before the rice riot (night of the 16th): A meeting to request wage increases by the miners of Okinoyama Coal Mine main mine

  Main mine of Okinoyama Coal Mine was located around the current Ube Joint Government Building (Shinmachi, Ube City).

  Main mine of Okinoyama Coal Mine was opened in the late Meiji era by Okinoyama Coal Mine Union Company (representative member of The House of Representativest(called "Shugi-in" in japanese), President Watanabe Sukesaku)  reclaiming the mouth of Shinkawa River(also called Mazime River).  The entrance (pithead) of the submarine coal mine was at the estuary, and the tunnel was stretched through coal seams that spread throughout Ube bay.

  Okinoyama main mine's miners demanded 30% wage increase due to the sharp rise in rice prices, but Okinoyama Coal Mine Union Company only distributed rice low-priced tickets, and delayed the answer on wage increases.  As a result, the miners held a rally on the night of August 16 and decided to enter the strike from the following day, creating a tense situation in the mines.  Kitagawa Kashichi chief of Ube branch office of Funaki police station sensed this and rushed to the rally.  On the morning of the 17th, the miners' representatives were gathered in the branch of police station and discussed with the chief of the branch of police station.  As a result, the two sides tried to break the dispute by raising wages by 15%.  Although the miners of main mine  was dissatisfied with this answer, no turmoil occurred initially.  Miners of main mine joined the riot after miners of new mine began raiding on the night of the 17th.

2020.3.27更新

　宇部米騒動は沖ノ山炭鉱新坑鉱夫が１７日夜に暴動を引き起こしますが、その前から沖ノ山炭鉱本坑で労働争議がはじまっていました。

　本坑は陸上の新川河口にあり、暴動の起こった沖ノ山炭鉱新坑は宇部港内の海上の築島にありました。

　海底の炭層は断層があって、本坑側坑道から断層を超えて掘進するのは困難でした。そこで、炭鉱組合は、大正時代に、宇部湾内に１００間（１８０メートル）四方の岸壁を構築して人工島をつくり、そこに坑口を開きました。新坑は、大派炭（おおはたん・瀬戸内海の塩田などに販売）や五段炭（いつだんたん・関西の家庭用などに販売）を採炭していました。

　現在、新坑は埋め立てが進んで陸続きとなり、宇部興産本社工場が輸入炭を船から降ろす５・６号岸壁になっています。米騒動時、新坑は海上の人口島で、巡航船や伝馬船が新坑と本校の間を行き来していました。人口島には、石炭積み出し船や巡航船の船着場・桟橋、炭坑事務所、竪坑、選炭場、貯炭場、貯木場、鉱夫の生活する納屋（舎宅・社宅）などの施設が密集していました。

　本坑鉱夫が３割賃上げ要求したのに対し、新坑鉱夫は５割賃上げを要求しました。島では米価や物価が高かったからです。

 (2) Movement of Okinoyama new mine's miners

Development of Okinoyama Coal Mine new mine and demand for 50% wage increase

   Ube rice riot was triggered by the new mine's miners of Okinoyama Coal Mine on the 17th night, but labor disputes had begun at  the main mine

of Okinoyama Coal Mine before that.

   The main mine was located at the mouth of Shinkawa River shore on land, and the new mine where the riot took place was located at man-made island in offshore Ube port.

  The seabed coal seam had a fault, and it was difficult to excavate beyond the fault from the main mine tunnel.  So, during the Taisho era, the Okinoyama Coal Mine Union Company built a 100-Ken (same as 180-meter) square quay in Ube bay to create an artificial island and opened a pithead there.  In the new mine they were mining "Ohatan" (sold to salt fields in the Seto Inland Sea) and "Itudantan" (sold to households use in Kansai region). 

  At present, the new mine has been reclaimed and has become on land, and has become the No. 5.6 quay where Ube Industries' headquarters factory unloads imported coal from ships.  At the time of the rice riot, the new mine was an artificial island, and cruise ships and "Tenma" boats were going and coming between the new mine and main mine.  On the artificial island, facilities such as wharf and piers for coal carrier ships and cruise ships, coal mine offices, vertical tunnel, coal sorting factory, coal storage yards, timber storage yards, and barns where miners live (also calld company houses) etc.were densely populated.

   While main mine's miners of Okinoyama Coal Mine demanded a 30% wage increase, the new mine's miners demanded 50% wage increase.  Because rice price and prices of commodities were high on the island.

　８月１７日の朝、新坑鉱夫は、前夜（１６日夜）、本坑鉱夫が集会をひらいて賃金値上げを要求し、１７日に同盟罷業に入ることを聞知した。入坑していた新坑鉱夫は採炭を止め、午前１１時ころには、ほとんどの鉱夫が坑道から上がった。１２時の汽笛を合図に鉱夫は西貯炭場に集合し、２時ころには１００名が集まった。指導者が集会への参加を強制したこともあり、その後も参加者が増えた。そこで、集合場所は炭坑事務所・渡船場に近く、鉱夫が集まりやすい東貯炭場に移された。

　集会が行われているという連絡を受けた請願巡査が炭鉱職員とともに集会に現れた。（請願巡査は、炭鉱内の風紀取締りのために、炭鉱が経費を負担して炭鉱に駐在させた巡査です。）請願巡査と人事係の炭鉱職員は１割五分の賃金値上げを受け入れるよう鉱夫を説得しました。しかし、鉱夫は５割値上げを主張して受け入れなかった。リーダー格は、要求が受け入れられなければ、本坑に渡り、渡邊頭取や西野大棟梁の自宅に乗り込み、膝詰談判をすると演説した。巡査と組長（十人長ともいう）は２割５分の賃上げを了解しました。鉱夫は炭鉱組合の回答を待つため、集会をいったん解散した。鉱夫は竹法螺（たけほら）を合図に午後６時に再び集合することになった。

　午後６時になると、新坑鉱夫はぞくぞくと東貯炭場に集合した。彼らのいでたちは、作業着に草鞋（わらじ）をはき、手にはつるはしの柄や千本（せんぼん）を持っていました。千本は長さ３尺２、３寸（約９４～９６センチ）、直径１寸ないし１寸５分（約３センチないし４．５センチ）程度の丸太棒です。午後７時ころ、新坑鉱夫は巡航船が到着するのを待っていた。この船には賃上げの回答をする本坑事務員が乗っているはずだった。ところが、その船でやってきたのは事務員ではなく、宇部分署長でした。分署長は本坑鉱夫と同額の１割５分の賃上げを新坑鉱夫に説得するために人工島にやってきたのです。

　この時、新坑鉱夫は、事務員や十人長にだまされたことを知り、激昂した。一部の鉱夫はすぐに、巡航船や伝馬船に乗って本坑に渡った。大半の鉱夫は新坑の炭坑事務所、仕入れ店を襲撃した後、本坑に渡って、先に渡っていた鉱夫と合流した。労働争議は暴動化し、宇部米騒動が勃発した。 

 Labor dispute and uproar broke out ... August 17 morning to evening

  On the morning of August 17, new mine miners heard on the eve evening (the night of the 16th) that main mine miners had opened a rally and demanded an increase in wages, and that they would enter the strike on 17th.  New mine's miners, who had been in the pit, stopped mining, and by 11am most miners left up the pits.  The miners gathered at the west coal storage yards at the signal of the 12:00 steam whistle, and around 2 o'clock, 100 people gathered.  Leaders forced participation in the rally, so participants increased after that.  Therefore, the meeting place was moved to the east coal storage yard, where miners gathered easily, near the coal mine office and ferry port.

  A petition police officer was informed that the rally was taking place and appeared at the rally with a coal mine staff.  (A petition constable is a police officer who has been stationed at a mine at the expense of the coal mine company to crack down on discipline and violence in the mine.)   The petition constable and the coal mine staff of personnel section persuaded the miner to accept a wage increase of 15%.  However, the miners insisted on raising the wage by 50% and rejected it.  If the request was not accepted, the leader gave a speech saying that he would cross over the sea to main mine, get into President Watanabes house and "Otoryo" Nishino's house, and have a knee negotiation.  The police officer and the group leader (also known as Juunincho) agreed to raise the wage by 25 ％. The miners once disbanded the rally in order to wait for a response from the coal mine union company.  The miners were to meet again at 6:00, signaling bamboo whistle.

  At 6:00 pm, the new mine's miners one after another gathered in the  east coal storage yard.  The miners wore their work clothes and "Waraji"(so-called sandal) ,  and they had a pickaxe's handle or a club( called "Senbon" in japanese). "Senbon" is a log stick that is 3 feet 2 inches to 3 inches(about 94 to 96 cm)long, and a diameter of 1 inch or 1.5 inches (about 3 cm or 4.5 cm). At about 7 pm, the miners were waiting for a cruise ship to arrive.  The cruise ship was supposed to have a main mine clerk answering the increase in wage.  However, it was not the clerk but Ube branch's chief of police station came on by the cruise ship.  The chief came to the man-made island to convince new mine miner of 15 % wage increase, the same amount as main mine miners.

  The miners got angry that they learned that they had been deceived by a clerk and "Junincho".  Some miners quickly crossed the sea on a cruise ship or "Tenma" boat to main mine.  Most miners stormed the coal mine office of new mine and goods sales stores, then crossed over to main mine and joined with the miners who had gone first.  Labor disputes became violent, and Ube rice riot broke out.

2020.3.28更新

　本坑に渡った新坑鉱夫は本坑事務所、仕入れ店、食堂などを破壊した。その後、本坑鉱夫も加わって本坑内の他の仕入れ店も破壊した。

　午後９時ころ、新坑鉱夫と本坑鉱夫は喚声を上げ、隊伍を組んで市街地に押し出した。最初に、上町（うえまち）の頭取渡邊祐策（すけさく）別邸「松濤園」（しょうとうえん）を襲い、それから、島の渡邊本邸「松巌園」（しょうがんえん）、大棟梁西野嘉四郎邸を襲撃、破壊した。その間、酒店で酒を飲んで勢いづいた鉱夫も多く、西新川（真締川の西側）の大店や料理店などが襲撃された。労働争議としてはじまった騒動は、炭鉱構内の関連施設や市街地の炭鉱経営者の邸宅にとどまらず市街地全域の襲撃に広がり、宇部炭鉱米騒動に発展した。

　新坑・本坑の一部鉱夫は真締川にかかる当時唯一の橋であった新川橋を渡って東新川に入り、常盤通りの商店を襲撃したり、老松町遊郭を徘徊する者もいた。

　新坑・本坑鉱夫の行動は労働争議から発生したため、当初はリーダーが行き過ぎた行動を統制していた。このため、襲撃はガラスや戸などを破壊する形式的な襲撃が多かった。襲撃後、新坑・本坑鉱夫は夜半過ぎまでに納屋に引き上げたと推察される。

Miners became mob, riots spread to urban areas・・From the night of the 17th to midnight

The new mine miners who crossed over the sea to the main mine destroyed the main mine office, goods sales store, canteen and so on.  After that, the main mine miners also joined and destroyed other goods sales stores in the main mine.　

At around 9 pm, the miners of new mine and the main mine screamed, went side by side and went out into the urban area.  At first, miners attacked and destroyed president Watanabe Sukesaku's villa which was called " Shoto-en" in Uemachi, and then, Watanabe's main residence which was called "Shogan-en", "Otoryo" Nishino Kashiro's residence, in Shima. During that time, many miners stopped at the liquor store, drank and gained momentum, and attacked large shops and restaurants in Nishishinkawa (west of Majime-river).  The riot that began as a labor dispute spread not only to related facilities in the coal mine yard and the residences of the coal mine owners and managers in the urban area, but also spread to the entire city, resulting in the Ube coal mine rice riot.

Some miners of the new mine and main mine cross the Shinkawa-bridge, which was the only bridge at the time on the Shinkawa-river (also called Majime-river), and entered Higashi-Shinkawa, then attacked shops on Tokiwa-street and wandered around Oimatsucho "Yukaku" (a place similar to red-light district ).

Since the actions of the miners of the new mine and main mine arose out of the labor dispute, initially the leaders controlled the excessive behavior.  For this reason, assaults were often attack that destroyed glass and doors etc. only in shape.  After the attack, it is estimated that the miners of the new main and main mine had returned to the barn by midnight.

2020.4.5更新 

　築島にあった新坑周辺の海上は、下関水上警察署の防長丸が、鉱夫が脱出しないように海面監視にあたった。１８日、鉱夫は新坑内に留まった。

　沖ノ山炭鉱本坑の納屋は市街地と接する場所にあった。軍隊は鉱夫が納屋から市街地に出ないように警戒に当たり、１８日は本坑鉱夫による炭鉱外での動きはなかった。

Action of miners of new mine and main mine on the 18th・・Stayed in coal mine 

  At the sea around the new mine at the man-made island, Shimonoseki Water Police Station's "Bochomaru" (so-called security boat) monitored the sea surface to prevent miners from escaping.  Unlike the previous day, new miners did not leave the mine on the 18th.

  The barn of the Okinoyama coal mine was located in contact with the urban area.  The Army watched out the miners of main mine to stay out of the barn and into the urban area, and the miners did not take action outside the main mine on the 18th. 

Movement of new pit and main pit miners at Okinoyama Coal Mine

　管理者は１７日夜の新坑・本坑鉱夫の主要な襲撃地に青いピンを置いています。ラインは主な襲撃経路を示しています（赤ラインは渡邊別邸・本邸などを襲撃したのち市街地に向かった鉱夫の主な襲撃経路。黒ラインは直接市街地に出た一部の鉱夫の襲撃経路）。当時、新坑は宇部港の海上に浮かぶ築島で本坑との間は連絡船で結ばれていました。

  The HP manager has placed a blue pin in the main attack area of the miners of the new mine and the main mine on the night of the 17th. (The red line is the main attack route of miners who went to the city after attacking the Watanabe villa and main residence.   The black line is the attack route of some miners who came directly from the coal mine to the city.)   At that time, the new mine was a man-made island floating on the sea in Ube bay and was connected to the main mine by a ferry.

グーグルマップのスマホ画面の操作は２本の指でしてください。（以下同じ） Use two fingers to operate the Google Maps smartphone screen. (same as below)

　第二沖ノ山炭鉱（渡邊祐策頭取）は現在の宇部セメント工場の位置に坑口があった。当時は浅い海にあった築島で、陸地側の潟炭鉱と桟橋で結ばれており陸上からの往来が可能であった（宇部新地図参照）。１９１８年の鉱夫数は１１００人だった。

 (3) Movement of Second Okinoyama Coal Mine's miners

The Second Okinoyama Coal Mine

  Second Okinoyama Coal Mine (President Watanabe Sukesaku ) had the pithead at the current location of the Ube Cement Factory. 

  The coal mine at that time was the man-made island in a shallow sea, and was connected to Gata Coal Mine on the land side by a pier, allowing traffic from the land.

　１７日夜、第二沖ノ山でも賃上げの労働争議が発生した。大棟梁田中嘉十郎（沖ノ山炭鉱の大棟梁西野嘉四郎の実弟）は５日間に限り３割の賃金値上げを認めた。事務員上田久は、臨機の対応により、３割賃上げが５日間だけという条件が付いていることを隠した。上田は十人長（組長ともいう。納屋の坑夫を統轄）を通じて鉱夫に３割値上げを伝えた。このため、鉱夫は納得し、午後９時ころ労働争議は収拾した。

　ところが、沖ノ山炭鉱の鉱夫が、市街地に出て頭取宅や商店を襲撃すると、第二沖ノ山の鉱夫も次第に市街地に繰り出し、商店などの襲撃に加わった。鉱夫は要求通り賃上げが実現したと思っていたので、渡邊頭取宅を襲撃した鉱夫は少なかったものの、事務長の新川元右エ門宅は破壊された。また、第二沖ノ山炭鉱仕入れ店で米を販売していた常盤通りの米穀店が第二沖ノ山と他の炭鉱の鉱夫に襲撃され、店員は暴徒から白米１升１５銭（仕入れ店の販売価格は市場価格の４２銭）で販売する証文を書かされた。（１８日朝、この証文を根拠に第二沖ノ山炭鉱仕入れ店で１５銭での廉売を強要する押し買いがあった。）

　第二沖ノ山炭鉱の鉱夫は、新川橋を渡って、東新川の商店や遊郭も襲撃し、宇部分署に押しかけて、騒動参加者を引致しないことを分署長に約束させた。（１８日朝、第二沖ノ山の鉱夫が引致者釈放要求をして押し出し、軍隊・警察と対峙した際、このことを主張した。）

　第二沖ノ山の一部の暴徒が遊郭を襲撃し、そのなかには妓楼に放火した鉱夫がおり、妓楼一軒を全焼させた。

　沖ノ山炭鉱鉱夫（新坑・本坑）の行動は労働争議の延長線上にあったので、騒動当初は比較的統制がとれていた。しかし、第二沖ノ山炭鉱の鉱夫は、騒動勃発後に騒動に加わったため、初めから統制がとれていなかった。新坑・本坑鉱夫の行動と比較すると多様かつ激化した犯罪行為がみられる。

Convergence of labor disputes and participation in the uproar.  Movement from midnight on the 17th to dawn on the 18th 

   On the night of the 17th, a labor dispute for raising wages occurred in Second Okinoyama Coal Mine too.  "Otoryo" Tanaka Kajuro (the younger brother of Nishino Kashiro, the "Otoryo" of Okinoyama Coal Mine) has accepted a 30% increase in wages only for five days.  Ueda Hisashi of coal mine staff hid that there was a condition that the 30% wage increase was only for 5 days due to the emergency response.  Ueda notified miners that wages had increased by 30% through “Junincho” (also called Kumicho, which oversees miners living in mine barns).  The miners were convinced, and the labor dispute was settled at around 9 pm.

  However, when the miners of Okinoyama Coal Mine went out into the urban area and attacked the president's residence and shops, the miners of Second Okinoyama Coal Mine also gradually moved out into the urban area and joined the attacks on shops and other places. The miners of Second Okinoyama Coal Mine believed that wage hikes had been realized as requested, so few miners attacked president Watanabe's residence, but the manager Shinkawa Motouemon's house was destroyed.  In addition, a rice store on Tokiwa-street, which sold rice at the Second Okinoyama Coal Mine goods sales shop, was attacked by second Okinoyama and other miners at the mines, and the clerk was ordered by the mob to write a certificate to sell white rice 1 sho for 15-sen (the goods sales shop sales price was 42- sen of market price).   (On the morning of the 18th, based on this certificate, there was a push buying at the goods sales shop of second Okinoyama Coal Mine that forced a bargain sale for 15-sen.)

[1-sho is 1.5 kg of rice.  1-sen is 1/100 yen.]

  The miners of the Second Okinoyama Coal Mine crossed Shinkawa-bridge and also attacked shops and red-light district in Higashi-Shinkawa, rushed to Ube branch police station, and promised the branch chief not to detain the riot participants.  (On the morning of the 18th, the miners of Second Okinoyama Coal Mine pushed out to request release of the detainees and claiming this when confronting the army and police.)

  Some mobs of the miners of Second Okinoyama Coal Mine miners stormed "Yukaku" (a place similar to the red-light district), and one of the mobs set a fire on the geisha's few stories houses, burning down one of them.  

  The actions of the Okinoyama Coal Mine miners (new and main mine) were on an extension of the labor dispute, and had relatively been controlled at first.  However, miners of Second Okinoyama Coal Mine had not been controlled from the beginning because they joined the riot after it broke out. Compared to the actions of the new and main mine, the actions of the miners of Second Okinoyama Coal Mine has various and intensified criminal activities.

　１８日早朝、前夜からの市街地の襲撃を終え、第二沖ノ山炭鉱に引き揚げてきた鉱夫のなかに、炭鉱内の仕入れ店を襲撃、破壊する者がいた。常盤通りの米穀店（第二沖ノ山炭鉱仕入れ店と同じ業者）で白米１升１５銭で販売する証文が書かれたことを理由に廉売を強制し、約３０分間で２斗入り叺（かます）、８０叺がなくなった。

 Force the goods sales shop to sell cheap・・Early morning on the 18th

  Early in the morning on the 18th, after finishing the assault on the urban area the night before, some miners who had relocated to Second Okinoyama Coal Mine attacked and destroyed the goods sales shop inside the coal mine.  The miners forced a bargain sale of rice on the basis of a certificate written at a rice store on the Tokiwa street (the same dealer as the goods sales shop of Second Okinoyama Coal Mine) that sells 1-sho of white rice for 15-sen (market price 42-sen), and in about 30 minutes, 80 bags of  2-to (30kg) bag were gone.

 [1-to is 10-sho and 15 kg of rice]

　山口の連隊から兵士が到着すると、警察は騒動に参加した鉱夫の検挙を加速させ、約７０名が分署に引致され、その多くが列車で山口の拘置所に送られた。分署長が逮捕しないことを約束していたこともあり、鉱夫の中に分署に押し出して引致者の釈放を求める動きがでた。棹取（運搬夫）の責任者宅で協議し、鉱夫が手分けして納屋を廻り、全男性鉱夫が釈放要求の押し出しに参加するよう呼びかけた。この呼びかけに応じなかった１人は棒で殴られて負傷した。

　午前９時ころ、炭鉱を出た鉱夫は、途中で潟炭鉱の鉱夫を連れ出し、潟炭鉱仕入れ店を襲撃した。市街地に入る手前の新川鉄工所西広場に出た。ここで、阻止・説得しようとする軍隊・警察と対峙した。このとき、前夜に分署長が騒動参加者を引致しないことを約束したと主張する鉱夫もいた。午前１１時ころまで対峙した後、鉱夫は説得に応じて納屋に引き揚げた。

Pushing out and turning back, of detainees' release request・・18th morning

 When soldiers arrived from the Yamaguchi regiment, police accelerated the arrest of miners participating in the riot, and about 70 people were taken to the branch police office, many of which were sent by train to Yamaguchi detention centers.　　The chief of the branch police had promised not to arrested, so that, the movement from some miners that miners would push out to request release of the detainees, came out.  After discussions at the house of the boss of the transport workers, the miners divided and went in the barns, urging all male miners of new mine to participate in pushing out for detainees' release.  One who did not respond to this persuasion was beaten with a stick and injured.

  Around 9:00 am, the miner who left the second coal mine took out the miners of Gata Coal Mine along the way, attacking the   goods sales shop of Gata Coal Mine and they came to the Shinkawa Ironworks west square located just before entering the urban area.  Here, miners confronted the military and police who were trying to prevent and persuade them.  At this time, some miners claimed that the branch chief of the police had promised not to restrain the riot participants the night before. After confronting until about 11:00 am, the miners who accorded to persuasion withdrew to the barn.

　炭鉱から出た鉱夫は昼ごろ第二沖ノ山炭鉱に引き揚げた。その後、仕入れ店に押し寄せて商品を要求したため、恐ろしくなった店員は逃げ出した。今行けば仕入れ店の品物は無料だといううわさがひろまり、午後３時から４時頃、炭鉱内の住民（女性やこども）が押しかけて、勝手に商品を持ち帰った。 

 A raid on the goods sales shop and carry away of goods・・18th afternoon 

  The miners who had get out the mine withdraw to Second Okinoyama Coal Mine around noon.  Later, the miners crowded to the goods sales shop to request the goods, and the clerks who became scared ran away.  Rumors that If you went now the goods at the goods sales shop were free now were widespread, and residents (females and children) in the mine rushed in from around 3:00 to 4:00 pm, and carry away the goods without permission.

　鉱夫が炭鉱内に引き揚げたのち、軍隊は、潟炭鉱から第二沖ノ山炭鉱に通じる干潟の桟橋の一部を破壊して、鉱夫を炭鉱内に閉じ込め、警戒に当たった。

Army and police vigilance・・From the afternoon of the 18th

After the miners withdrew into the mine, the army broke down a part of the tidal flat pier that led from the Gata Coal Mine to Second Okinoyama Coal Mine, trapped the miners in the mine, and was alert.

Movement of the 2nd Okinoyama coal miner

管理者は、第二沖ノ山炭鉱鉱夫の１７日夜の主要襲撃地に青いピンを、１８日朝の押し出し場所に茶色のピン置いています。青ラインは１７日夜の主な襲撃経路です。当時、第二沖ノ山炭鉱は干潟にあり、潟炭鉱との間は桟橋で結ばれていました。 

The HP manager has placed a blue pin on the main attack areas on the 17th night of the miners of  Second Okinoyama coal mine and has placed a brown pin on the extruded place of the morning of the 18th.  The blue line is the main attack route on the night of the 17th.  At that time, Second Okinoyama Coal Mine was located on a tidal flat and was connected to Gata Coal Mine by a pier.

Movement of Higashi-Mizome Coal Mine's miners

　東見初炭鉱は明治４５年に宇部村東部に開坑した海底炭坑で、大正４年には出水による大事故を起こした（死者２３５名・宇部炭鉱災害史上最大）。米騒動の年は宇部炭鉱で最大の出炭量（約３３万トン）と鉱夫数（２３０８名）を誇った。頭取は貴族院議員の藤本閑作、大棟梁は新田宇一であった。

　１７日夜、東見初炭鉱でも賃金３割値上げ要求の労働争議が始まった。騒動勃発に驚いた大棟梁、頭取は、ようやく１８日昼に３割値上げを回答したものの、時すでに遅く、騒動を収束することはできなかった。

Higashi-Mizome Coal Mine development and demand for wage increase

Higashi-Mizome Coal Mine was a submarine coal mine opened in the eastern part of Ube village in Meiji45/1912, and caused a major accident due to flooding in Taisho4/1915(235 dead, largest in Ube coal mine disaster history).  The year of Ube rice riot, Higashi-Mizome Coal Mine had boasted the largest coal output (about 330,000 tons) and the number of miners (2,308) in Ube coal mines.  The president was Fujimoto Kansaku, a member of the House of Lordst (Kizoku-in), and "Otoryo" was Nitta Uichi.

  On the evening of the 17th, a labor dispute began at Higashi-Mizome Coal Mine too, miners demanded a 30% increase in wages.  "Otoryo" and president, surprised by the outbreak of the riot, finally answered that they would raise his price by 30% in the afternoon on the 18th, but it was already too late to finish the uproar.

　１７日夜９時ころに騒動が市街地に拡大し、宇部村の東に位置した東見初炭鉱にも波及した。東見初炭鉱鉱夫は炭鉱内の事務所や仕入れ店を破壊し、その後、近隣の沖見初炭鉱、岬地区の商店、富豪の邸宅、明治町の商店などを襲撃した。

　一部の鉱夫は岬地区の元炭坑主の邸宅を襲撃し、納屋１棟に放火して全焼させた。鉱夫は、炭鉱周辺の襲撃が終わると市街地中心部に向かい、遊郭を襲撃して妓楼２軒を全焼させた。第二沖ノ山炭鉱鉱夫と同様に騒動勃発後に騒動に加わったため、１７日深夜の行動は統制がとれておらず、一部の鉱夫が放火などの重い犯罪行為を行った。 

　その後、１８日未明に、鉱夫は郊外にある琴芝地区の新田宇一大棟梁邸を破壊し、梶返地区の藤本閑作頭取邸を襲撃した（宇部新地図参照）。

 Joining the riot ... from late night on the 17th to dawn on the 18th 

At around 9:00 p.m. on the 17th, the riot spread to the urban area and spread to Higashi-Mizome Coal Mine located east of Ube village.　 The miners of Higashi-Mizome Coal Mine destroyed a coal mine office and a goods sales shop in the mine, and subsequently attacked nearby Oki-Mizome Coal Mine, shops in Misaki district, rich mansions, and shops in Meiji-machi.

  Some miners attacked a former coal mine owner's mansion in Misaki area, arsoning a barn and burning it down.  The miners headed to the center of the urban area after the assault around the coal mine was over, and attacked "Yukaku" and burnt down two the geisha's few stories houses.  The miners of Higashi-Mizome Coal Mine joined the riot after the outbreak broke out, like Second Okinoyama Coal Mine miners, so their actions at midnight on the 17th were not controlled, and some miners acted heavy performed criminal acts example arson etc.

  Afterwards, early in the morning of the 18th, the miners destroyed Nitta Uichi Otoryo's house in Kotoshiba district on the outskirts of the city and attacked Fujimoto Kansaku president's house in Kajigaesi district. (See "Ube New Map")

　１８日朝から炭鉱内で鉱夫が引致者の釈放を求めて集合した。午後になると、納屋にいる鉱夫を呼び出して集合し、鉢巻きに棍棒を持って、午後４時ころから炭鉱を出て分署に向かった。鉱夫が老松町遊郭裏広場に集合した時には、東見初炭鉱周辺の大畠炭鉱鉱夫、見初炭鉱鉱夫らも加わって、千数百名の勢力となった。

　集合した広場から分署までの道路は軍隊が警戒線を作って鉱夫らの進出を阻止していた。しかし、鉱夫らは警戒線を突破したり、迂回したりして常盤通りに進出し、数百人が分署に迫った。

　このため、内山（十人長か）が交渉し、警察は引致されていた５人の鉱夫を釈放した。この後、２～３００名の鉱夫らが説得に応じて引き上げた。しかし、約７０人が検挙されて分署に引致され、多くが山口に送還されていたため、３～４００人の鉱夫らは説得に応じず、全員の釈放を求めて軍隊、警察と対峙した。

　このため、軍隊は鉱夫らに対し、午後７時ころに空砲を発射した。空砲発射によりほとんどの鉱夫らは後退したが、３～４０名の鉱夫らは踏みとどまって抵抗した。

　午後８時１０分、分署前で哨戒線を作っていた軍隊・憲兵が実包発射し、１３名が射殺され１７名が負傷した。

　１３名の死者数は全国の米騒動で最多で全国の死者の約４割を占めている。（全国の米騒動における死者数は３３名と推定）

 Action of request for release of the detainees・・morning to evening on the 18th

  Miners gathered in coal mine on the morning of the 18th in search of the release of the detainees. In the afternoon, the miners in the barns were called out of the barns, and gathered together, held a wooden stick, headbanded, and left the coal mine at about 4 pm to head to the branch police office.  When the miners etc. gathered at Oimatsucho "Yukaku" back plaza, the Ohata and Mizome coal mine miners around Higashi-Mizome Coal Mine joined together, resulting in a force of more than a thousand people.

  On the road from the gathered square to the branch police office, the army made a warning line to prevent miners from entering.  However, miners broke through the guard line or bypassed the line and advanced to Tokiwa-street, and hundreds of miners etc. approached the branch police office.

  For this reason, Uchiyama (seen as "Junincho") negotiated, and police released five miners who had been detained.  After release, 2 to 300 miners etc. turned back in response to persuasion.  However, since about 70 people had been arrested and detained to the branch police office, and many had been repatriated to Yamaguchi, 3 to 400 miners etc. did not accept persuasion and confronted the army and police seeking the release of all.

  For this reason, the army fired blanks at the miners around 7 pm. Most miners have receded due to blank fire, but three to forty miners stopped and resisted.

  At 8:10 pm, army and police who were making a warning line in front of the office of branch police fired live ammunition, 13 miners etc. were shot dead and 17 were injured.

  The death toll of 13 people is most number in the rice riots nationwide, accounting for about 40% of the deaths nationwide. (The number of deaths in the rice riots nationwide is estimated at 33) 

　軍隊の実包発射により、鉱夫らは四散して逃げ帰り、騒動は収束した。負傷者は仲間によって連れ去られたり、分署内に運ばれて山口から軍隊とともに出張していた日本赤十字山口支部の医師・「看護婦」の治療を受けた。

　大畠（おおはた）炭鉱、見初（みぞめ）炭鉱の一部鉱夫は、逃げ戻る途中、梶返（かじがえし）にあった炭坑納屋に放火し全焼させた。

　死者１３名の遺体は路上に一晩放置され、１９日朝、馬車で常盤通り避病院裏手の墓地に運ばれた。遺体は首実検できるように頭だけ出し、その上に荒莚がかけられた。（高野義祐（たかのよしすけ）『米騒動記』８５～８６頁）

 After fired live ammunition

  The miners etc. dispersed and ran away when the army fired live ammunition, and the riot subsided.  The injured were taken away by a friend or carried to the office of branch police where they were treated by a doctor and nurses of the Yamaguchi-branch of the Japanese Red Cross, who had traveled with the army from Yamaguchi.

  Some miners of Ohata Coal Mine and Mizome Coal Mine set a fire to the coal mine barn in Kajigaeshi and burned it down.

  The bodies of the 13 dead were left alone overnight on the street, and were carried to the graveyard where was in the back of the Hi-hospital on the morning of the 19th in a horse-drawn carriage.  The body of dead took only head out of the soil so that the neck could be examined, and rough mat woven from rice straw was placed on it. (Takano Yoshisuke, "Komesodoki", pages 85-86) 

Movement of Higashimizome coal miner

青いピンは１７日夜の主要襲撃地を示し、青と緑の線は主要経路です。茶色のピンは１８日午後に鉱夫らが押し出した場所で、赤と黒の線はそのおよその経路です。

  The blue pin indicates main assault place of the miner etc. on the night of the 17th, and the blue and green lines are the main assault routes.   The brown pin is where miners pushed out on the afternoon of the 18th, and the red and black lines are the approximate routes. 

Deployment process of Ube rice riot and military dispatch

Table "Ube rice riot progress process and military dispatch"

管理者作成。拡大可。Created by an administrator. Can be expanded.

 Differences in the nature of the coal mine labor dispute and the coal mine rice riot.(When did the Ube coal mine rice riot begin?) 

　宇部炭鉱（十数鉱）の主力炭鉱である沖ノ山炭鉱では、大正７年米騒動前年の１９１７年（大正６）に、米価高騰に伴い賃上げ要求の同盟罷業が発生した。この１９１７年沖ノ山炭鉱労働争議は、宇部炭鉱において、未組織期の初めての本格的な労働争議だった。鉱夫は同盟罷業し、十人長（坑夫組長）と結束して沖ノ山炭鉱組合（頭取渡邊祐策）と交渉し、１割５分の賃上げを獲得したが、この時には騒動は起こらなかった。治安当局は、十人長の結束が固かったため、治安警察法による鉱夫の逮捕・起訴はできなかった。 

　１９１８年（大正７）の宇部炭鉱の米騒動は、労働争議が炭鉱労資関係を越えて、鉱夫が市街地に出て商店や遊郭を襲撃した。すなわち、炭鉱労働争議が市街地に拡大して炭鉱米騒動に発展したと考える。１９１７年沖ノ山炭鉱労働争議と１９１８年宇部炭鉱米騒動は性格に違いがあると考える（西岡論文３）（クリック・内部リンク）。

　たとえば、労働争議は一般に治安警察法で処罰されるが、市街地に拡大した宇部炭鉱米騒動は騒擾罪が適用されている（西岡論文２）（クリック・内部リンク）。 

　このように、炭鉱労働争議と炭鉱米騒動は性格を異にしていると考える。荻野喜弘『筑豊炭鉱労資関係史』（２００～２１５頁）は、１９１７年の労働争議を炭鉱労働争議とし、１９１８年の騒動性を帯びた労働争議を炭鉱米騒動としている。管理者は荻野の分類を首肯できると考える。１９１７年の労働争議は米価高騰による労働争議の性格を持つ。しかし、これを米騒動の出発点ととらえる考え方に管理者は首肯できない。 

　１９１８年の米価高騰に伴う沖ノ山炭鉱の賃上げ要求の労働争議は同年６月から始まっている。すなわち１９１８年６月に１９１８年沖ノ山炭鉱労働争議が始まった。しかし、前記の観点から、管理者は１９１８年６月に炭鉱米騒動が始まったとは捉えない。

 　騒動が最初に勃発した沖ノ山炭鉱新坑と違い、沖ノ山炭鉱本坑や第二沖ノ山炭鉱では、騒動勃発を警戒した炭鉱組合側が賃上げ要求に回答した。この回答に鉱夫はほぼ満足して労働争議は収束に向かい、これらの炭鉱では、労働争議は騒動に発展しなかった。新坑鉱夫は炭鉱組合の低額回答や炭鉱職員のごまかしに反発して暴動を起こした。暴動発生後に、本坑と第二沖の山炭鉱の鉱夫は暴動に加わり市街地を襲撃した。また、宇部米騒動には、労働争議とは関係のない一部の一般村民も加わった。 

　以上のことから、１９１８年８月１７日午後７時ころ、沖ノ山炭鉱新坑の労働争議が暴動となり（市街地に拡大したのは午後９時ころ）、宇部炭鉱米騒動が勃発したと考える。従って、１９１７年９月と１９１８年６月の労働争議を宇部炭鉱米騒動の始まりとは考えない。

Okinoyama Coal Mine that is the main coal mine of Ube coal mines (more than a dozen mines) suffered an alliance strike in 1917 (Taisho 6), the year before the rice riot in 1918, in response to a rising rice price.  Okinoyama Coal Mine labor dispute in 1917 was the first full-scale labor dispute in the Ube coal mines during the unorganized period. The miner executed an alliance strike, united with the "Junincho" (so-called the miner's head), negotiated with Okinoyama Coal Mine Union Company (president Watanabe Sukesaku), and earned a wage increase of 15 minutes, but no riot occurred at that time.  Security officials were unable to arrest and prosecute miners by the Security Police Act due to the tight bond of "Junincho".

In the Ube coal mine rice riot in 1918 (Taisho 7), labor disputes spread to urban areas beyond the scope of the capital and labor relations, and miners attacked stores and red-light district. In other words, it is thought that the labor dispute in the coal mine spread to the urban area and developed into the coal mine rice riot. I suppose that Okinoyama Coal Mine labor dispute in 1917 and Ube coal mine rice riot in 1918 differed in character (Nishioka's thesis 3).

For example, labor disputes were generally punished by the Security Police Law, but Ube coal mine rice riot that had spread to urban areas was punished by a charge of rioting (Nishioka thesis 2).

Thus, I consider that the coal mine labor dispute and the coal mine rice riot have different characteristics.  Ogino Yoshihiro, Chikuho Coal Mine Capital and Laber Relations History (pp. 200-215) calls the labor dispute in 1917 a coal mine labor dispute, and the labor dispute accompanied by riots in 1918 the coal mining rice riot. Ｉthinks that Ogino's classification can be agreed.  The labor dispute in 1917 has the characteristics of a labor dispute caused by a rising rice price. However, I cannot agree that this is the starting point of the rice riot.

The labor dispute began in June of the same year asking for a wage increase at Okinoyama Coal Mine due to the soaring rice price in 1918. In other words, the 1918 Okinoyama Coal Mine labor dispute began in June 1918. However, from the above viewpoint, I don't consider that the coal mine rice riot started in June 1918.

Unlike Okinoyama Coal Mine new mine, where the turmoil first broke out, Okinoyama Coal Mine Union Company, which was wary of the outbreak, responded to the wage increase request at the miners of Okinoyama Coal Mine and Second Okinoyama Coal Mine.  The miners of main mine and second mine were almost satisfied with this answer and the labor dispute was settled, and in these mines the labor dispute did not develop into a riot.  Okinoyama new mine's miners rioted in response to the small sum answer from the coal mine union company and the deception of the coal mine staff.  After the riot occurred, miners of Okinoyama main mine and Second joined the riots and stormed the city.  Ube rice riot also included some ordinary villagers who had nothing to do with labor disputes.  Also, Ube rice riot also included some ordinary villagers who had nothing to do with labor disputes.

Based on the above, at around 7:00 pm on August 17, 1918, the labor dispute at Okinoyama Coal Mine new mine became riot (around 9 pm, it expanded into the urban eareas), and I think that Ube coal mine rice riot broke out. Therefore, I don't consider that the labor disputes in September 1917 and June 1918 are the beginning of the Ube coal mine rice riot.

『宇部時報』（大正７．９．１付）

（８月２５日まで）

警察届出３６２件、被害総額３０８、０２１円。（届出のない被害もある。）

内訳

建物破壊１３５、６９８円。物件破損１２９、５８２円。強窃盗被害４２、７４４円。（合計金額に３円の差がある。）

百円以上の被害者、百五十八戸。千円以上の被害者・貸席上杉治助（７７，０００円、老松町遊郭最大の紅葉楼全焼の被害）以下４１か所。（全焼した木ノ葉楼の被害届は出ていない。）

『防長新聞』（大正７．８．２７付）

（８月２４日まで）

損害届出４００戸２９万円余円。多少とも破壊された家屋数１７２０戸。

２０１９年の消費者物価指数（CPI）は大正７年（１９１８年）の２０３０倍になります。

当時の３０万円は現在の約６億円に当たります。

2021年12月1日更新

 (6) Damage

 "Ube Jiho" (with Taisho 7.9.1)

  (Until August 25)

 362 police reports, total damage 308,021 yen. (Some damages have not been reported.)

 Iitems

 Building destruction 135,698 yen.  Property damage 129,582 yen.  Damage of robbery and theft 42,744 yen. (There is a difference of 3 yen in the total amount.)

 The victims of more than 100 yen, 158 houses.

 The victims of more than 1,000 yen,

 Rental seat business Uesugi Jisuke (77,000yen, damage caused by the burning down of Momijiro, the largest in Oimatsucho "Yukaku") and other 41 place.

  (There is no report of damage to the fully burned Konoharo in Oimatsucho "Yukaku".)

"Bocho Shimbun" (with Taisho 7.8.27)

  (Until August 24)

 Damage reports of 400 houses, 290,000 yen over.  The number of including a slightly destroyed houses is 1,720.

The consumer price index (CPI) in 2019 will be 2030 times that of 1918.

300,000 yen at that time is equivalent to about 600 million yen now.

Updated December 1, 2021