Shibata Takenaka

Shibata Takenaka (柴田 剛中^?, February 27, 1823 – August 24, 1877) was an emissary for Japan who visited France in 1865 to help prepare for the construction of the Yokosuka arsenal with French support. Also known as Shibata Sadataro (柴田 貞太郎^?).

His first visit to Europe was in 1862 as the head of the mission staff of the First Japanese Embassy to Europe in 1862.

In 1865, on behalf of the shogunate, Shibata requested that both the United Kingdom and France send a military mission for training in Western warfare. The UK apparently declined, but the French accepted. This led to the first French military mission to Japan from 1867 to 1868, which Shibata organized.

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