nntsuzu/KFTT huggingface dataset:
English: When OKUBO came to the Ministry of Interior, the staff who heard the sound of his footsteps stopped their private conversations, and the inside of the Ministry building became very quiet.
Japanese: 大久保が内務省に登庁しその靴音が廊下に響くと職員たちは私語を止め、それまでざわついていた庁舎内が水を打ったように静まり返った。
English: After the death of OKUBO, Hideji KAWASE, who was the head of the business promotion bureau and a subordinate of OKUBO, bemoaned the luxury and corruption within the Ministry, such as in the room of Hirofumi ITO, Secretary of Interior, where Tsugumichi SAIGO and Hiroshi NAKAI, influential persons, were talking about the night before while waitresses from traditional restaurants were going in and out.
Japanese: 内務省で勧商局長などを務めて大久保の部下であった河瀬秀治は、大久保の没後の内務省では、伊藤博文内務卿の部屋で西郷従道や中井弘が盛んに夕べの話をしたり、仲居が出入りするようになるなど、すべてが奢侈に流れ堕落したと嘆いている。
English: In the short time of 10 to 15 minutes before heading off to the Ministry, he showed affection to his only daughter, Yoshiko, by lifting her in his arms.
Japanese: 出勤前のわずか10分か15分の間を唯一の娘である芳子を抱き上げて慈しんだ。
English: When OKUBO returned home, he was delighted to see that his children, including his third son, Toshitake, would rush to the entrance hall to see him and tried to take off his shoes for him, falling over on their backs.
Japanese: また大久保が馬車で自宅に帰ってくると、三男の大久保利武ら子ども達が争って、玄関に出迎え靴を脱がせようとして、勢いあまって後ろに転がるのを見て笑って喜んでいた。
English: He led a western-style life, rare in those days, using a wash basin made of blue glass, wearing western clothes and living in a western room.
Japanese: 青いガラス製の洗面器具を使い、家庭内においても洋間に滞在しながら洋服を着用する、当時としては非常に洋風な生活をしていた。
English: When Shinpei ETO and Yoshitake SHIMA raised an army in the Saga War, he made an expedition, leading soldiers in garrisons and suppressed the riot.
Japanese: 江藤新平と島義勇が佐賀の乱で挙兵した際に、直ちに自ら鎮台兵を率いて遠征、瓦解させている。
English: In his diary in those days, he wrote that ETO was an irrelevant, ludicrous and trivial person.
Japanese: この時大久保の日記には、「江東、陳弁曖昧、実に笑止千万、人物推て知られたり」など書かれている。
English: When the rebellion occurred in Kagoshima, he wrote a letter to Hirofumi ITO and expressed his opinion that they would be able to easily wipe out the rioters, saying "I think that this rebellion has the aspect of good fortune in an unfortunate event and I am laughing at this rebellion in my sleeves".
Japanese: 鹿児島が暴発したときには、伊藤博文に対して「朝廷不幸の幸と、ひそかに心中には笑いを生じ候ぐらいにこれあり候」と鹿児島の暴徒を一掃できるとした。
English: Moreover, concerning SAIGO, he wrote to ITO that he did not think SAIGO conformed to the Shigakko (school mainly for warriors) party and would not act rashly and blindly.
Japanese: また西郷については、これでは私学校党に同意せず、「無名の軽挙」をやらかさないだろうと書き送った（明治10年2月7日付書簡）。
English: In addition, before the Seinan War, when he knew that SAIGO participated in the rebellion, he wanted to go to Kagoshima to have a talk with SAIGO.
Japanese: そして、西南戦争が始まる前に西郷が参加していることが分かると、西郷に会って話し合うために、鹿児島へ行くことを希望したという。
English: But Hirofumi ITO and others opposed his going because they were afraid that OKUBO might be killed, and his wish was not realized.
Japanese: しかし、大久保が殺されることを危惧した伊藤博文らに朝議で反対され、希望は叶わなかった。
English: When OKUBO was informed of SAIGO's death, he wept bitterly, walking around inside of his house and hitting his head on the lintels of the rooms (at that time it was reported that he said "a new Japan will be born with your death; a strong Japan will be born").
Japanese: 西郷死亡の報せを聞くと号泣し、時々鴨居に頭をぶつけながらも家の中をグルグル歩き回っていた（この際、「おはんの死と共に、新しか日本がうまれる。
English: After the end of the Seinan War, he said there was nobody who knew SAIGO better than him, and he asked Yasutsugu SHIGENO to write SAIGO's biography.
Japanese: 西南戦争終了後に「自分ほど西郷を知っている者はいない」と言って、西郷の伝記の執筆を重野安譯に頼んでいたりしていた。
English: Further, Tomonosuke TAKASHIMA reported that OKUBO had a letter from SAIGO with him when OKUBO was assasinated.
Japanese: また、暗殺された時に生前の西郷から送られた手紙を持っていたと高島鞆之助が語っている。
English: In the morning of the day of the assassination, he told Morisuke YAMAYOSHI, governor of Fukushima Prefecture, about his future plan, in which "the rebellions of many years will have been suppressed and peace will be returned to Japan".
Japanese: 暗殺される日の朝、福島県令山吉盛典に対し、「ようやく戦乱も収まって平和になった。
English: "Therefore I plan to carry out the spirit of the Meiji Restoration, but it will require a period of 30 years.
Japanese: よって維新の精神を貫徹することにするが、それには30年の時期が要る。
English: If divided in 3 periods, the first period was from 1868 to 1877; this was the foundation period with many battles.
Japanese: それを仮に三分割すると、明治元年から10年までの第一期は戦乱が多く創業の時期であった。
English: The second period would be from 1878 to 1887 for putting domestic politics in order and promoting private industry; I would like to do my utmost in domestic affairs until the beginning of this period.
Japanese: 明治11年から20年までの第二期は内治を整え、民産を興す時期で、私はこの時まで内務の職に尽くしたい。
English: He married Masuko, the second daughter of Shichiroemon HAYASAKI, the feudal retainer of Satsuma, in 1857.
Japanese: 安政4年（1857年）に薩摩藩士早崎七郎右衛門の次女・満寿子と結婚。
English: With Masuko, he had Toshikazu OKUBO, the first son; Nobuaki MAKINO, the second son; Toshitake OKUBO, the third son; Okuma ISHIHARA, the fifth son; and Yoshiko, the eldest daughter.
Japanese: 満寿子との間には、長男大久保利和・次男牧野伸顕・三男大久保利武・五男石原雄熊・長女芳子が生まれた。
English: Besides his wife, he had a favorite concubine named Oyuu (Yuu SUGIURA) and with her, he had Toshio OKUBO, the fourth son; Sukuma OKUBO, the sixth son; Shichikuma OKUBO; the seventh son; and Toshikata OKUBO, the eighth son.
Japanese: 大久保には妻の外におゆう（杉浦勇）という愛妾が居り、おゆうとの間に四男大久保利夫・六男大久保駿熊・七男大久保七熊・八男大久保利賢をもうけた。
English: Another grandson, Toshiharu OKUBO, was a senior managing director of a big trading company, Marubeni, but he was arrested and prosecuted for a bribery case in the Lockheed scandal, and was found guilty.
Japanese: もう一人の孫大久保利春は丸紅専務で、ロッキード事件に際しては賄賂の一人として逮捕・起訴され有罪判決を受けた。
English: Great-grandchildren include Kenichi YOSHIDA (scholar of American and English literature; writer), Toshiaki OKUBO (administrative director of a radiation influence research institute, former president of an industrial medical university), great-great-grandchildren include Princess Nobuko, the wife of Imperial Prince Tomohito; Tsutomu MAKINO (deputy secretary of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry), Taro ASO (prime minister) and Keizo TAKEMI (former member of the House of Councilors).
Japanese: 曾孫に吉田健一(英文学者)（作家）、大久保利晃（放射線影響研究所理事長、前産業医科大学長）、玄孫に寛仁親王妃信子、牧野力（通産省事務次官）、麻生太郎（内閣総理大臣）、武見敬三（元参議院議員）がいる。
English: Although they say that their ancestors moved from Kyoto at the end of the Sengoku period, the genealogy begins from Nakabei, who moved to Ichikigo Kawakami in the Jokyo era.
Japanese: 戦国時代(日本)末に京都から薩摩に移るというが、系図は貞享年間に市来郷川上に中宿（城下に籍を残したまま他郷へ移住すること）した仲兵衛より始まる。
English: Junior Fourth Rank in 1868: declined
Japanese: 明治元年閏月4月21日(旧暦)（1868年6月11日）：従四位（辞退）
English: Junior Third Rank, eternal premium 18,000 goku in 1869.
Japanese: 明治2年6月2日(旧暦)（1869年7月10日）：従三位、永世賞典禄1,800石
English: Nagamasa AZAI (浅井 長政, formerly written as 淺井 長政) was a busho (Japanese military commander during the Sengoku Period [period of warring states] in Japan, at the end of the Muromachi Period) and warring lord in Omi Province.
Japanese: 浅井長政（あざいながまさ、旧字体表記：淺井長政）は、戦国時代(日本)（室町時代末期）の武将で、近江国の戦国大名。
English: It had been established that 'AZAI' was the correct reading of '浅井', his family name and also the name of the territory, rather than the reading 'ASAI', however, some recent studies claim that 'ASAI' is actually the correct reading (see Keiichi MIYAJIMA's 'Asaishisandai' or 'The Three Generations of the Asai Family').
Japanese: なお、名字および所領地の「浅井」の読みは「あざい」が正しく、「あさい」という読み方は誤りであると考えられてきたが、最新の研究では、やはり「あさい」が正しいという学説もある（宮島敬一著「浅井氏三代」参照）。
English: His official court rank was Junii Chunagon (Junior Second Rank Vice-councilor of State), posthumously conferred in 1632 as he was the maternal grandfather of Iemitsu TOKUGAWA.
Japanese: 官位は贈従二位中納言（徳川家光の外祖父にあたるため、死後の寛永9年（1632年）に贈られた）。
English: He contributed to the Azai clan's position as the warring lords of Kitaomi, and his alliance with Nobunaga ODA led to the heyday of the Azai clan, but he later disagreed with Nobunaga, lost the ensuing battle with the Oda army and finally his suicide marked the end of the Azai clan.
Japanese: 浅井氏を北近江の戦国大名として成長させ、織田信長と同盟を結ぶなどして浅井氏の全盛期を築いたが、のちに信長と決裂して織田軍との戦いに敗れて自害し、浅井氏は滅亡した。
English: Nagamasa was born in 1545 as the legitimate son of Hisamasa AZAI in the castle town of Kannonji-jo Castle in Minami Omi (now Azuchi-cho, Shiga Prefecture), a castle of the daimyo of the Rokkaku clan.
Japanese: 天文(元号)14年（1545年）に浅井久政の嫡男として六角氏の居城・南近江観音寺城下（現在の滋賀県安土町）で生まれる。
English: At that time the Azai clan was beaten in a battle with the Rokkaku clan, and lost the territory that Sukemasa AZAI, the first family head, had gained, and as a consequence began to serve the Rokkaku clan.
Japanese: 当時、浅井氏は六角氏との合戦に敗れ初代当主・浅井亮政の代に手に入れた領地を失い、六角氏に臣従していた。
English: It is said that because of this, Nagamasa was taken hostage to ensure a ceasefire with the Rokkaku clan, along with his mother Lady Ono.
Japanese: そのため長政自身も生母・小野殿と共に六角氏との停戦のための人質になったとされる。
English: Many vassals protested against Hisamasa's passive policies, and even busho who had performed brilliantly during the time of the previous generation were not treated well under the pretext of the need for generational change.
Japanese: 家臣の中には久政の弱腰な政策に反発する者も多く、また先代に活躍した武将も世代交代という名目で低い扱いを受けていた。
English: When Nagamasa celebrated his attainment of manhood at the age of 15, the Rokkaku clan made him use the surname Katamasa, which contained one of the characters from the name of Yoshikata ROKKAKU, the head of the Rokkaku clan, in order to demonstrate the fact that the Azai clan were vassals of the Rokkaku clan.
Japanese: 15歳で長政が元服した時、六角氏は六角・浅井の関係が臣従関係にあることをはっきりさせるため長政に対し六角氏の当主六角義賢の一字をとって「賢政」と名乗らせる。
English: Feeling unsatisfied about this situation the vassals forced Hisamasa to retire in favor of Nagamasa, who was believed to have great knowledge and courage, by exiling Hisamasa to Chikubushima Island.
Japanese: このような状況に不満を持つ家臣達は知勇に優れた長政に期待を寄せ、久政を竹生島に追放して隠居を強要した。
English: To make clear his wish to break with the Rokkaku clan, Nagamasa returned the name Katamasa and the daughter of Sadatake HIRAI to the Rokkaku clan and reassumed the name Shinkuro.
Japanese: 長政は六角氏から離反する意思を明確にするため「賢政」の名と「平井定武の娘」を六角氏に返上し、名を新九郎に戻した。
English: In 1560 Nagamasa (Shinkuro) led an army aged only 15 and fought admirably against the Rokkaku army in the Battle of Norada.
Japanese: 永禄3年（1560年）、長政（新九郎）は15歳の若さで軍を率い六角軍を相手に野良田の戦いで見事な戦ぶりを披露した。
English: It is said that senior vassals such as Kiyotsuna AKAO, Tsunachika KAIHO, and Naotsune ENDO became enamoured with him because of this.
Japanese: これによって重臣の赤尾清綱・海北綱親・遠藤直経らを心酔させたと言われている。
English: He appears to have won the Battle of Norada because he had been preparing for battle since Hisamasa's exile, whereas the Rokkaku clan were forced to form an army quickly.
Japanese: 野良田の戦いの勝因は短期間で寄せ集めの軍備しかできなかった六角氏と異なり、久政隠居の頃から合戦の準備を始めていたためと思われる。
English: In addition, as the Asakura clan were not requested to provide reinforcements it is suggested that Nagamasa himself had the initiative for the battle, rather than either Hisamasa or the vassals who had close relations with Asakura.
Japanese: また朝倉氏に援軍を求めた様子もないことから朝倉親交派である久政や家臣達ではなく、長政本人が戦の主導権をとっていたという見方もできる。
English: Since the name Nagamasa appears on documents dated June 20, 1561 (old lunar calendar), the following year, it seems he reassumed the name Nagamasa before this date.
Japanese: 翌年永禄4年（1561年）6月20日付けの資料に「長政」の名が見えることから、これ以前に、名を長政と改めたと思われる。
English: In 1563, Katatoyo GOTO, the head of the vassals of the Rokkaku clan, was assassinated.
Japanese: 永禄6年（1563年）、六角氏の筆頭家臣であった後藤賢豊が暗殺された。
English: Many abandoned Rokkaku to serve Azai because of the feud, and it was also a period in which the failure of the Rokkaku clan's attempts at reform became apparent.
Japanese: この騒動で六角を離れ浅井に仕官した者も多く、六角氏の改革失敗が決定的になった時期である。
English: In the same year, the Rokkaku clan called up their military forces while Nagamasa was away on an expedition to Mino Province, but Nagamasa turned his army back to fight with them and defeated them.
Japanese: 同年、長政の美濃遠征中にその留守を狙い六角氏が軍を動かしたため、長政は軍を反転・機動させて六角軍を撃破した。
English: Tsunachika KAIHO was asked to protect the shingari (rearmost part of the army during its retreat) and he fought brilliantly despite having only 500 soldiers.
Japanese: 殿(軍事用語)（しんがり）を守らせた海北清綱はわずか500の兵で見事な働きを見せた。
English: Though these two incidents allowed the Azai clan to expand their territory, a situation of deadlock continued after that due to a ceasefire agreement made with the Rokkaku clan.
Japanese: この2つの出来事で浅井氏は領地を拡大したが、その後は六角氏との停戦協議によって膠着状態が続く。
English: Sometime in the 1560s Nobunaga ODA dispatched the envoy Mitsuharu FUWA to propose forming an alliance with Nagamasa to break the deadlock with the Saito clan.
Japanese: 1560年代（時期明確にならず）、織田信長は斎藤氏との膠着状態を打破するため不破光治を使者として送り、長政と同盟を提案した。
English: Though the terms of the agreement were favorable for the Azai side, there were arguments both for and against it among the vassals of the Azai family, and it is claimed that Naotsune ENDO, a senior vassal, was also against it.
Japanese: 同盟の条件は浅井側に有利であったが、浅井家臣の中では賛否両論であり重臣・遠藤直経も反対だったという。
English: At Aburasaka path in Nishimino (western Mino, the border with Asakura clan's territory), they frequently provoked each other because the Nishimino forces (vassals in western Mino region) gradually became on the side of Nobunaga causing territorial friction.
Japanese: 西美濃勢が信長寄りに振る舞う度に領地が油阪で通じることになり、互いに挑発を繰り返していた。
English: The vassals were divided into pro-Asakura and pro-independence groups, however Nagamasa eventually took the decision to ratify the alliance.
Japanese: 家臣は朝倉親交派と独立派で分断されたが、最後は長政の決断によって批准した。
English: It is said that the alliance included conditions such as 'As long as the alliance holds, Oda will not advance to Asakura. Furthermore, if circumstances make an advance to Asakura necessary, Nobunaga will not forget to notify him of the advance.'
Japanese: 「同盟がある限り、織田は朝倉に進軍せず。また、どのような事態でも朝倉に進軍する時は必ず一報をいれる」との条件を付した上での同盟だと言われる。
English: Thanks to the alliance Nobunaga secured access to the capital, Kyoto, and had a degree of control over Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA, the 15th shogun, who stayed with the Asakura family.
Japanese: この同盟によって信長は上洛進路を確保し、朝倉氏に滞在している15代将軍足利義昭も手中にする。
English: As a result of the alliance Nagamasa built a connection to the enormous power wielded by Nobunaga, and this held other daimyo in check (one anecdote suggests that Naotsune ENDO proposed a plan to Nagamasa to assassinate Nobunaga during his marriage to Lady Oichi).
Japanese: そして長政は信長という大勢力との繋がりができ、他の大名に大きな牽制になった（逸話によると遠藤直経は、お市との婚姻の際に信長を暗殺する計画を長政に提案したという）。
English: It is also said that Nobunaga was very happy with the alliance and he himself paid all the marriage expenses despite established practice at the time being that the Azai family would pay.
Japanese: また同盟時、信長は大いに喜び通常は浅井側が結婚資金を用意するのが当時のしきたりだったが、信長自身が婚姻の費用を全額負担したとされている。
English: In August 1568, Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA, still staying with the Asakura family, gave up on Yoshikage who showed little intention of going to the capital at all, and stayed with Nobunaga.
Japanese: 永禄11年（1568年）7月、朝倉氏に滞在していた足利義昭は一向に上洛の意志をみせない義景に見切りをつけ、信長に身をよせた。
English: In 1570 Nobunaga broke his oath with Nagamasa not to fight Asakura, advanced along the western shore of Lake Biwa with Ieyasu TOKUGAWA and started to attack the castle of Asakura in Echizen Province.
Japanese: 元亀元年（1570年）、信長が長政と交わした「朝倉への不戦の誓い」を破り徳川家康と共に琵琶湖西岸を通過して越前の朝倉方の城を攻め始める。
English: With the achievements of Katsumasa IKEDA and others who protected the shingari Nobunaga managed to escape from Omi Province though the fighting was hard (the Battle of Kanagasaki).
Japanese: 信長は殿を務めた池田勝正らの功績などもあり、苦戦しながらも近江を脱出した（金ヶ崎の戦い）。
English: It is said that the vassals who had been against the alliance with Nobunaga got Hisamasa, who was in retirement, to suggest Nagamasa launch an attack on the Oda army since Nobunaga didn't inform Azai of his attack on Asakura.
Japanese: 信長との同盟に反対していた家臣達は信長が朝倉攻めに際して浅井に一報を入れなかったことから、隠居中の久政をかつぎ出し長政に対し織田軍への進撃を提案したと言われている。
English: It is said that senior vassals Kiyotsuna KAIHO, Kazumasa ISONO, and Naotsune ENDO were against this, and one theory claims that the military advance against Nobunaga was made by recalcitrant vassals who were against Nobunaga.
Japanese: 重臣の海北清綱、磯野員昌、遠藤直経はこれに反対したといい、信長への進軍は反信長の家臣達の暴走という説もある。
English: The most powerful busho didn't take part in the military advance to Tsuruga (Tsuruga City in Fukui Prefecture) and there is no description in the records indicating that Nagamasa was there either.
Japanese: 敦賀への進軍に、主力である武将達は参加しておらず長政が居たという記録もない。
English: It is said that Kazumasa ISONO, at the head of the Azai army, made a vicious attack on the Oda forces and succeeded in destroying eleven lines of protective soldiers out of a total of thirteen, resulting in the Oda army preparing for defeat.
Japanese: 浅井軍の先鋒・磯野員昌が織田軍の備え13段のうち11段まで崩す猛攻を見せ、織田軍は敗走の用意をしていたという。
English: However, the Asakura army, which was deployed at the side of Nagamasa and was a sworn ally, took flight due to a vicious attack by Yasumasa SAKAKIBARA and others, though his forces were three times the size of those of the Tokugawa army.
Japanese: しかし長政の側面に位置していた盟友の朝倉軍は、徳川軍の3倍の兵力があるにも関わらず榊原康政らの猛攻により敗走。
English: As a result the Azai army's flank became vulnerable, and the Three of West Mino, a detached force, attacked this weak point with the consequence that the Azai army also fled.
Japanese: 結果として浅井軍の側面に隙ができ、そこを織田軍別働隊の西美濃三人衆に突かれ浅井軍も崩れて敗走した。
English: This proclaimed the strength of the Tokugawa army to the world and highlighted the vulnerability of the Asakura army.
Japanese: これによって徳川軍の強さは天下に響き、朝倉軍の脆弱さも浮き彫りになった。
English: Following the Battle of Anegawa the territorial lords of Hongan-ji Temple (in the Battle of Noda-jo Castle and Fukushima-jo Castle), the Mori clan, the Takeda clan, and the Uesugi clan all declared themselves against Nobunaga (the Surrounding of Nobunaga).
Japanese: 姉川の後、本願寺（野田城・福島城の戦い）・毛利氏・武田氏・上杉氏など諸大名が反信長の意志を起こした（信長包囲網）。
English: In addition, Takatora TODO took part in the Battle of Anegawa as a nameless heisotsu soldier, achieved many military exploits, and was given a letter of commendation by Nagamasa for taking part in the battle.
Japanese: また藤堂高虎は姉川の戦いに名もない兵卒として参戦し、多くの武功をあげ長政に感状を送られた。
English: In October, he strengthened the attack on Nobunaga oncemore (the Siege of Shiga) in cooperation with the Asakura army, Enryaku-ji Temple, and followers of the Ikko sect, and beat Yoshinari Mori, Nobuharu Oda, and others.
Japanese: 9月には朝倉軍や延暦寺、一向宗徒と連携し再び信長への攻勢を強め（志賀の陣）、坂本において森可成、織田信治らを討ち取る。
English: However, Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei, which had a cooperative relationship with the Azai clan, was destroyed by fire during an attack on Mount Hiei by Nobunaga in October 1571.
Japanese: だが浅井氏と協力関係にあった比叡山延暦寺は、元亀2年（1571年）9月に信長に比叡山焼き討ち(1571年)にあい壊滅してしまう。
English: In August 1572 Nobunaga attacked Kitaomi leading a large force of 50,000 soldiers.
Japanese: 元亀3年（1572年）7月、信長が5万の大軍を率い北近江に来襲した。
English: Nagamasa asked Yoshikage ASAKURA for reinforcements, and Yoshikage quickly came to Omi at the head of 15,000 troops.
Japanese: 長政は朝倉義景に援軍を要請、義景は1万5,000の軍勢を率い近江に駆けつけた。
English: Though there was a standoff with Nobunaga rather than a direct head-on military clash, the size of the Azai and Asakura allied forces was less than that of the Oda army, and it remained a tough situation.
Japanese: 信長との正面衝突にはならず睨み合いが続いたが浅井・朝倉連合軍は織田軍に数で劣っており、依然として苦しい状況であった。
English: In October of the same year, Shingen TAKEDA departed for the front leading 27,000 troops in response to a request from Shogun Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA.
Japanese: 同年9月、将軍足利義昭の要請に応える形で武田信玄が2万7,000の軍勢を率い甲斐を進発。
English: After this, Shingen dispersed the Oda and Tokugawa allied forces in Totomi Province in the Battle of Mikatagahara, and made his way to Mikawa.
Japanese: その後、信玄は遠江で織田・徳川連合軍を蹴散らし（三方ヶ原の戦い）、三河に進んだ。
English: The role given to Nagamasa and others was to prevent the Oda army in Kitaomi from coming back to Mino Province.
Japanese: 長政らに与えられた役割は、北近江の織田軍を美濃国に戻さないことである。
English: The strategy was that if the Oda army was stuck in Kitaomi, Nobunaga would not be able to fight against Shingen's troops at full power and this would increase the anti-Nobunaga allied forces' chance of winning the battle.
Japanese: 北近江に織田軍を釘付けにすれば信長は全力をもって信玄の軍勢とぶつかることができず、反信長連合軍の勝機は高まる。
English: For Nagamasa who was gradually being overwhelmed by the size of Oda's army, Shingen's attempt to advance to the west was an essential strategy that needed to be successful.
Japanese: 織田軍の物量に押されじわじわと追いつめられていた長政にとって、信玄の西上は必ず成功させたい重要な作戦であった。
English: However, in January of the next year, the army of Yoshikage ASAKURA which had set up camp in Nagamasa's territory in Kitaomi went back to Echizen due to the fatigue of its soldiers and snow fall.
Japanese: しかし同年12月、北近江の長政領に在陣の朝倉義景の軍が兵の疲労と雪が降ったことを理由に越前に帰国。
English: Shingen was furious with Yoshikage's arbitrary decision and sent a letter, the Ino Monjo (documents that Shingen TAKEDA sent to Yoshikage ASAKURA) inducing him to dispatch the troops again, however, Yoshikage couldn't respond to the request and decided to ignore it.
Japanese: 信玄は義景の独断に激怒し再出兵を促す手紙（伊能文書）を義景に送ったが、義景はそれに応じることが出来ずだんまりを決め込んだ。
English: Even so, Shingen waited for Yoshikage to send the troops again and held his own troops back, however, the following March he gave up on Yoshikage who had yet to reply and captured Noda-jo Castle in Ieyasu's territory.
Japanese: それでも信玄は義景の再出兵を待ち軍勢を止めていたが、翌年2月には何の反応も示さない義景に痺れを切らして家康領の野田城を攻め落とす。
English: However, because of the fatigue caused by the long-term campaign, the midwinter coldness, and the stress from Yoshikage's decision, the chronic disease which Shingen had became significantly worse, and he died.
Japanese: しかし信玄は長陣の疲れや真冬の寒さ、義景に対してのストレスなどの影響によって以前から深刻な状態であった持病を致命的に悪化させてしまい病死。
English: Because of this, the siege was completely broken and Nobunaga could easily send a large force against Nagamasa and Yoshikage.
Japanese: これにより包囲網は完全に破綻し、信長は易々と大軍勢を長政・義景に向ける事が可能になったのである。
English: In September 1573 Nobunaga attacked Kitaomi again, leading 30,000 troops.
Japanese: 天正元年（1573年）7月、信長は3万の軍を率い再び北近江に攻め寄せる。
English: Nagamasa asked Yoshikage for reinforcements, and Yoshikage quickly came leading 20,000 troops, however, when the Oda troops began to capture the castle in Kitaomi, he started withdrawing to Echizen before properly engaging the Oda army.
Japanese: 長政は義景に援軍を要請、義景は2万の軍で駆けつけるが織田の軍勢が北近江の城を落とし始めるとまともに交戦もしないうちに越前に撤退を始めた。
English: Nobunaga chased the fleeing Asakura army and beat them at the Battle of Ichijodani Castle, before sending the troops against the Azai clan.
Japanese: 信長は逃げる朝倉軍を追撃し滅亡させた後（一乗谷城の戦い）、軍を浅井氏に向けた。
English: Nagamasa no longer had any way to resist, and his sphere of influence was reduced unilaterally by the large force under Nobunaga.
Japanese: もはや長政に反撃の手段は無く、信長の大軍によって一方的に勢力範囲を削られるのみであった。
English: However, it seems that Nobunaga evaluated Nagamasa so highly that he didn't invade the castle immediately but summoned him to surrender again and again.
Japanese: しかし信長は長政を高く評価していたようで、一気に進撃せず、何度も降伏勧告を行った。
English: It is said that Nobunaga offered him a new territory in Yamato Province if he surrendered, and this was a very preferential offer for Nobunaga who hated betrayal.
Japanese: 降伏した後は大和国へ新領地を与えるという、裏切りを嫌う信長にとっては破格の案も出されたという。
English: Envoys such as Mitsuharu FUWA and Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI were also sent, but Nagamasa kept on saying no and the final request to surrender was not successful.
Japanese: 不破光治、豊臣秀吉なども使者として送られたが長政は断り続け、最終勧告も決裂した。
English: Ichi, a lawful wife of Nagamasa who had been happily married to him, decided to share the same fate as him, but Nagamasa convinced her and she decided to return home.
Japanese: 長政と仲睦まじかった正室の市は運命を共にする決意であったが長政から諌められ、帰還を決意した。
English: It has been said that when Ichi returned to Nobunaga's camp, the Azai and Oda allied forces didn't attack at all.
Japanese: 市が信長の陣営に帰還する時、浅井・織田軍も一切の攻撃をしなかったと言われている。
English: In Shinchoko-ki (the biography of Nobunaga ODA), evaluated as a first class historical source, there is a description that they put the three heads of Yoshikage, Nagamasa and Hisamasa covered with hakudami (gold dust on a lacquered surface) on a platform made of plain wood as decorations and sang and played to enjoy the New Year feast in 1574.
Japanese: 一級史料と評される信長公記には天正2年（1574年）の正月の宴席において箔濃（はくだみ、漆塗りに金粉を施すこと）にした義景、久政・長政父子の三ツ首を御肴として白木の台に据え置き、皆で謡い遊び酒宴を楽しんだとある。
English: Though there is a popular belief that they drank sake using the skulls as glasses, no such description has been found in historical materials.
Japanese: なお、これを髑髏杯にして酒を飲んだという俗説もあるが史料には見当たらない。