Ginjirō Fujiwara
Ginjirō Fujiwara 藤原 銀次郎 | |
|---|---|
 As Minister of Commerce and Industry, 1940 | |
| Born | July 25, 1869 Kamiminochi District, Nagano, Japan |
| Died | March 17, 1960 (aged 90) |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Occupation(s) | Industrialist, Politician, Cabinet Minister |
Ginjirō Fujiwara (藤原 銀次郎, Fujiwara Ginjirō, July 25, 1869 – March 17, 1960), was an industrialist and politician in the
Biography
Fujiwara was born in
In 1895, through the introduction of one of his former classmates, Fujiwara was hired by the
Due to his success at the Tomioka Silk Mill, he was called in to assume management of Oji Paper, when its workers went on strike in 1898; however, this time he was not as successful and had to call in workers from Fuji Paper (also owned by Mitsui) to break the strike. In 1899, he was transferred to Mitsui & Co., where he was made vice-manager of the company branch in Shanghai. He remained in Shanghai over ten years, becoming branch manager, and also director of procurement for wood. He returned to Oji Paper as vice-president in 1911, at a time when Oji Paper was in severe financial difficulties. Fujiwara turned the company around by replacing managers suspected of embezzlement, purchasing the latest production equipment from Europe, and suing major debtors who were delinquent on payments.
In 1929, Fujiwara was appointed to a seat in the
In 1940, he was asked to join the cabinet of Mitsumasa Yonai as Minister of Commerce and Industry. In 1942, he was nominated a special advisor to the cabinet of Prime Minister Tōjō, with oversight over naval procurement, and in 1943 joined the Tōjō cabinet as a minister without portfolio. In 1944, under Tōjō’s successor, Kuniaki Koiso, he became Minister of Munitions. With the war situation quickly becoming critical, Fujiwara devoted his efforts to increasing the production of aircraft to defend Japan against the increasing Allied bombing attacks. He was astonished to find that aircraft built at Mitsubishi’s Nagoya works were being transported to the nearest airfields by ox cart.[1]
Following the end of
In 1959, he turned over much of his private fortune to a charitable foundation, the Fujiwara Foundation of Science. The Foundation awards the Fujiwara Prize to scientists who have made important contributions to the advancement of science and technology.
Fujiwara died of a stroke in 1960. He was posthumously awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, 1st class. His grave is at the Tsukiji Hongan-ji in Tokyo.[2]
Trivia
- Fujiwara lived in Shirokane-dai Minato ward, Tokyo.
- In Keio University Yagami Campus there is his statue.
References
- ISBN 0-275-95355-6, p. 167
- ^ Ginjiro "The Paper Manufacturing King of Japan" Fujiwara. Find-a-grave.
Further reading
- Rengō Puresu Sha, The Japan biographical encyclopedia & who's who, Issue 3 Japan Biographical Research Dept., Rengo Press, Ltd., 1964. page 162
- Picken, Stuart D B. The A to Z of Japanese Business. Roawman and Littlefield (2009) ISBN 0810868725
