Whose Fault -

Ichirō wants to study, restore his family’s fortunes, and prove himself in a world that treats his imprisoned father’s disgrace as his own. A lawyer offers him shelter, but household suspicions and humiliations make the refuge unbearable. At home, a proposed marriage arrangement reveals another gulf between his ideals and the necessities invoked by those around him.

A political leader then seems to offer everything he has lacked: generosity, fairness, and recognition. As gratitude disarms his distrust, Ichirō begins to imagine a future worthy of his new teacher. Rumors of political office and a devastating letter overturn that precarious hope.

First published in 1897, Shimizu Shikin’s story joins sharp domestic observation to satire of ambition, patronage, and public judgment. Its title asks a question the final newspaper verdict cannot settle. This complete English translation includes notes on historical references, household customs, political language, and the original text’s ambiguities. AI-assisted translation.