Sakanoue no Imatsugu (坂上今継)
SAKANOUE no Imatsugu was a government official in the early Heian period. His kabane (hereditary title) was Imiki, and it is thought that he belonged to the clan of SAKANOUE no Tamuramaro. However, his lineage is not known.
His two poems are included in "Ryoun-shu" (the first collection of poems in Chinese, compiled by an Imperial command in 814), and is described there that he was 'Sadaishi (the first secretary of the left) at the rank of Shorokui (Senior Sixth Rank) and Isenokuni jo (an official of Ise Province).'
After that, he was awarded the rank of Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade), and became Geki (secretary of the grand council of state) and Kiden hakase (a professor of history) at the same time. It is known from the preface of "Nihon Koki" (later chronicles of Japan) that he participated in compiling Nihon Koki in the era of Emperor Junna. Daigeki (senior secretary of the council of state) played a part of the job of keeping public documents and Kiden hakase was a teacher of history at Daigaku-ryo (Bureau of Education under the ritsuryo system). Therefore, it is thought that he was engaged in the actual work of compiling national history.
However, the name of Imatsugu is not found in the list of the compilers of "Nihon Koki." It is not known whether he died before the compilation of Nihon Koki was completed or his name was not included due to any other reason.
One of his poems is also included in "Bunka shureishu" (the second collection of poems in Chinese, compiled by an Imperial command) in addition to in "Ryoun-shu."