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Katsura Tarō

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In this Japanese name, the surname is Katsura.
Prince
Junior First Rank
Katsura Tarō
CSOC GCSOC
桂 太郎
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan
In office
21 August 1912 – 21 December 1912
MonarchTaishō
Preceded byTokudaiji Sanetsune
Succeeded byPrince Fushimi Sadanaru
Prime Minister of Japan
In office
21 December 1912 – 20 February 1913
MonarchTaishō
Preceded bySaionji Kinmochi
Succeeded byYamamoto Gonnohyōe
In office
14 July 1908 – 30 August 1911
MonarchMeiji
Preceded bySaionji Kinmochi
Succeeded bySaionji Kinmochi
In office
2 June 1901 – 7 January 1906
MonarchMeiji
Preceded bySaionji Kinmochi (Acting)
Succeeded bySaionji Kinmochi
Minister of War
In office
12 January 1898 – 23 December 1900
Prime MinisterItō Hirobumi
Yamagata Aritomo
Ōkuma Shigenobu
Preceded byTakashima Tomonosuke
Succeeded byKodama Gentarō
Governor General of Taiwan
In office
2 June 1896 – 14 October 1896
MonarchMeiji
Preceded byKabayama Sukenori
Succeeded byNogi Maresuke
Personal details
Born(1848-01-04)4 January 1848
Hagi, Nagato, Japan
Died10 October 1913(1913-10-10) (aged 65)
Tokyo, Japan
Cause of deathStomach cancer
Resting placeShōin Jinja, Setagaya, Tokyo
Political partyConstitutional Association of Allies (1913)
Other political
affiliations		Independent (1896–1913)
SpouseKatsura Kanako (1875–1940)
ProfessionSoldier and politician
AwardsSee Decorations
Signature
Military service
Allegiance Empire of Japan
Branch/service Imperial Japanese Army
Years of service1870–1901
Rank General
CommandsIJA 3rd Division
Battles/warsBoshin War
First Sino-Japanese War

Prince Katsura Tarō (桂 太郎, 4 January 1848 – 10 October 1913) was a Japanese politician and general who served as prime minister of Japan from 1901 to 1906, from 1908 to 1911, and from 1912 to 1913. He was a genrō, or senior statesman who helped dictate policy during the Meiji era, and is the second-longest serving Japanese prime minister after Shinzo Abe, serving for a combined total of 7 years and 330 days.

Born in the Choshu Domain to a samurai family, Katsura participated in the Boshin War that led to the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He spent several years studying military science in Germany, and became a protégé of Yamagata Aritomo. He distinguished himself in the First Sino-Japanese War, then served as governor-general of Taiwan and later as minister of war from 1898 to 1901, when he was appointed prime minister. Katsura's relatively stable tenure saw Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War before he was forced to resign in 1906 amid public outrage at the government's failure to secure an indemnity from Russia. He returned as premier in 1908, and showed authoritarian tendencies in the crackdown on the High Treason Incident of 1910, which saw the mass arrest of leftists and which was followed by the establishment of the Special Higher Police in 1911. After Emperor Meiji's death in 1912, Katsura became prime minister again, which triggered the Taisho Political Crisis. He resigned three months later after a vote of no confidence.

Early life

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Katsura was born on 4 January 1848 in Hagi, Nagato Province (present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture) as the eldest son of horse guard Katsura Yoichiemon into a samurai family of the Chōshū Domain. As a youth, Katsura joined the movement against the Tokugawa shogunate and participated in the Boshin War[1] that led to the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

Army career

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The new Meiji government considered that Katsura displayed great talent, and in 1870 sent him to Germany to study military science. He served as military attaché at the Japanese embassy in Germany from 1875 to 1878 and again from 1884 to 1885. On his return to Japan, he was promoted to major general. He served in several key positions within the Imperial Japanese Army, and in 1886 was appointed Vice-Minister of War.[2]

During the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) Katsura commanded the IJA 3rd Division under his mentor, Field Marshal Yamagata Aritomo. During the war, his division made a memorable march in the depth of winter from the north-east shore of the Yellow Sea to Haicheng, finally occupying Niuchwang, and effecting a junction with the IJA 2nd Army which had moved up the Liaodong Peninsula.[2]

After the war, he was elevated with the title of shishaku (viscount) under the kazoku peerage system.[2] He was appointed 2nd Governor-General of Taiwan from 2 June 1896, to October 1896.

In successive cabinets from 1898 to 1901, he served as Minister of War.

Prime minister

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Prince Katsura Tarō during his premiership

Katsura Tarō served as the 11th, 13th and 15th prime minister of Japan. His position as the longest-serving prime minister of Japan (total length) was surpassed by Shinzō Abe on 20 November 2019.

First administration

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Katsura became prime minister for the first time on 2 June 1901, and he retained the office for four and a half years to 7 January 1906, which was then a record in Japan.[2] Japan emerged as a major imperialist power in East Asia. In terms of foreign affairs, it was marked by the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902 and victory over the Russian Empire in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. During his first premiership, the Taft–Katsura agreement, accepting Japanese hegemony over Korea, was reached with the United States. Katsura received the Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George from King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and was elevated to the rank of marquess by Emperor Meiji.[2]

In terms of domestic policy, Katsura was a strictly conservative politician who attempted to distance himself from the Imperial Diet and party politics. His political views mirrored that of former prime minister Yamagata Aritomo in that he viewed that his sole responsibility was to the Emperor. He vied for control of the government with the Rikken Seiyūkai, the majority party of the lower house, headed by his archrival, Marquess Saionji Kinmochi.

In January 1906, Katsura resigned the premiership to Saionji Kinmochi over the unpopular Treaty of Portsmouth (1905), ending the war between Japan and Russia. However, his resignation was part of a "back door deal," brokered by Hara Takashi to alternate power between Saionji and Hara.

On 1 April 1906, he was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum.

Second administration

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Katsura Tarō

Katsura returned as prime minister from 14 July 1908, to 30 August 1911. His second premiership was noteworthy for the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty of 1910 to colonize Korea. He also promulgated the Factory Act in 1911, the first act for the purpose of labor protection in Japan.

Katsura was increasingly unpopular during his second premiership over public perception that he was using his office to further both his personal fortune and the interests of the military (gunbatsu) over the welfare of the people. [citation needed] He also faced growing public dissatisfaction over the persistence of the hanbatsu domainal based politics.

After his resignation, he became a kōshaku (公爵 = prince), Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan and one of the genrō.

Third administration

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Katsura's brief reappointment as prime minister third time from 21 December 1912, to 20 February 1913, sparked widespread riots in what became known as the Taisho Political Crisis. His appointment was viewed as a plot by the genrō to overthrow the Meiji Constitution. However, rather than compromising, Katsura created his own political party, the Rikken Dōshikai (Constitutional Association of Allies) in an effort to establish his own support base after his third premiership. [citation needed]

However, faced with a no-confidence motion, the first successful one in Japanese history, and the loss of the support of his backers, he was forced to resign in February 1913. He was succeeded by Yamamoto Gonnohyōe.[3]

Death

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The funeral carriage leaving Katsura's residence en route to Zōjō-ji in October 1913
Katsura's grave in Tokyo

Katsura died of stomach cancer eight months later on 10 October 1913, aged 65. His funeral was held at the temple of Zōjō-ji in Shiba, Tokyo and his grave is at the Shōin Jinja, in Setagaya, Tokyo.

Honors

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From the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia

A bronze statue of Katsura Tarō on the top of the stairs of Takushoku University in Hachiōji, Tokyo
A memorial stone that commemorates the opening of Sasago railway tunnel. The epigraph was written by Taro Katsura.

Titles

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  • Viscount (20 August 1895)
  • Count (27 February 1902)[4]
  • Marquess (21 September 1907)
  • Prince (21 April 1911)

Decorations

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Japanese

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Foreign

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References

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  1. ^ "明治宰相列伝 ： 桂太郎 | 国立公文書館". www.archives.go.jp. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Katsura, Taro, Marquess". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 697.
  3. ^ Public Domain Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1922). "Katsura, Taro". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 31 (12th ed.). London & New York: The Encyclopædia Britannica Company. p. 676.
  4. ^ "Latest intelligence – Japan". The Times. No. 36703. London. 28 February 1902. p. 3.
  5. ^ "The London Gazette, 14 July 1905".
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Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Japan
21 December 1912 – 20 February 1913 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal
21 August 1912 – 21 December 1912 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Foreign Minister (acting)
21 December 1912 – 29 January 1913 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of Japan
14 July 1908 – 30 August 1911 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Finance Minister
14 July 1908 – 30 August 1911 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Education
14 December 1905 – 7 January 1906 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Home Minister
12 October 1903 – 20 February 1904 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of Japan
2 June 1901 – 7 July 1906 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of War
12 January 1898 – 23 December 1900 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor General of Taiwan
2 June 1896 – 14 October 1896 		Succeeded by
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