Johannis de Rijke

Johannis de Rijke (5 December 1842-10 January 1913) was a Dutch civil engineer.  He was a foreign advisor to the Japanese government in the Meiji period.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "De Rijke, Johannes" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 152.

Early life
Rijke was born in Noord-Beveland, in the Netherlands. Rijsbergen, Dennis.  "Johannis de Rijke, ridder van de rijzende zon,"  Beroemde Zeeuwen. 27 August 2009; retrieved 2013-4-5.

Career
In 1865, Rijke worked the chief construction foreman for water projects near Amsterdam.Chubu Regional Construction Bureau, "The Father of the Riparian Work on the Kiso-Sansen: Johannis de Rijke"; retrieved 2013-4-5.

Japan
Rijke was a government advisor in Japan from 1873 to 1903.  He worked on flood control and water management projects. He led projects which improved the ports of Japan, including  Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagasaki, Hiroshima (Ujina) and Fukuoka (Hakata).

After 1891, Rijke was an official of the Home Ministry. He became Vice Minister. It was uncommon for a foreigner to be promoted to such high rank in a Japanese government bureaucracy.Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Tokyo , "Dutch-Japanese relations, Dutch Civil Engineers in the Meiji Period" ; retrieved 2013-4-5.

China
In 1876, Rijke worked on Yangtze River projects.Yellow River Conservancy Commission, "Speech by Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange," 2005; archived; retrieved 2013-4-5. 

In 1901, Rijke worked on the Yellow River flood control project.

Honors
 Order of the Sacred Treasure, 1903
 Order of Orange-Nassau, 1911.
 Order of the Dutch Lion, 1913. Noord-Beveland, "Standbeelden Johannis de Rijke, Colijnsplaat"; retrieved 2013-4-5. 
 Order of Leopold.

Related pages
 Foreign advisors to the government in Meiji period Japan

References

Other wesbsites

Category:1842 births
Category:1913 deaths
Category:Foreign advisors to the government in Meiji-period Japan
Category:People from Zeeland