Matsukata Masayoshi
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (August 2009) |
Prince Matsukata Masayoshi | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
松方 正義 | |||||
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal | |||||
In office 2 May 1917 – 18 September 1922 | |||||
Monarch | Taishō | ||||
Preceded by | Ōyama Iwao | ||||
Succeeded by | Hirata Tosuke | ||||
Prime Minister of Japan | |||||
In office 18 September 1896 – 12 January 1898 | |||||
Monarch | Meiji | ||||
Preceded by | Kuroda Kiyotaka (Acting) | ||||
Succeeded by | Itō Hirobumi | ||||
In office 6 May 1891 – 8 August 1892 | |||||
Monarch | Meiji | ||||
Preceded by | Yamagata Aritomo | ||||
Succeeded by | Itō Hirobumi | ||||
Personal details | |||||
Born | Japan | 25 February 1835||||
Political party | Independent | ||||
Spouse | Matsukata Masako (1845–1920) | ||||
Japanese name | |||||
Kanji | 松方 正義 | ||||
Hiragana | まつかた まさよし | ||||
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Prince Matsukata Masayoshi (松方 正義, 25 February 1835 – 2 July 1924) was a Japanese politician who was Prime Minister of Japan from 1891 to 1892 and 1896 to 1898.
Early life
Matsukata Masayoshi was born on 25 February 1835, in Arata, Kagoshima, Satsuma Province (present-day Shimoarata, Kagoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture),[1] the fourth son of Matsukata Masayasu and his wife Kesaku.[2] His family was of the samurai warrior nobility class. Both his parents died when he was 13 years old.[2]
At the age of 13, he entered the Zoshikan, the Satsuma domain's
Knowing that war was coming between Satsuma and the Tokugawa, Matsukata purchased a ship available in Nagasaki for use in the coming conflict. This ship was then given the name
As governor Matsukata instituted a number of reforms including road building, starting the port of
Financial reform
Matsukata moved to Tokyo in 1871 and began work on drafting laws for the Land Tax Reform of 1873–1881.[3]
Under the new system:
- a taxpayer paid taxes with money instead of rice
- taxes were calculated based on the price of estates, not the amount of the agricultural product produced, and
- tax rates were fixed at 3% of the value of estates and an estate holder was obliged to pay those taxes.
The new tax system was radically different from the traditional tax gathering system, which required taxes to be paid with rice varied according to location and the amount of rice produced. The new system took some years to be accepted by the Japanese people.
Matsukata became
Matsukata also sought to protect Japanese industry from foreign competition, but was restricted by the
Matsukata served as finance minister in seven of the first nine cabinets, and led the Finance Ministry for 15 of the 20-year period from 1881 to 1901. He is also believed to have had significant influence on drafting Articles 62–72 of the Meiji Constitution of 1890.
Prime minister
Matsukata followed Yamagata Aritomo as Prime Minister from 6 May 1891, to 8 August 1892, and followed Ito Hirobumi as Prime Minister from 18 September 1896, to 12 January 1898, during which times he concurrently also held office as finance minister.
One issue of his term in office was the
Later life
Matsukata successively held offices as president of the Japanese
In 1902 he visited US and Europe. He arrived in
Honours and decorations
Incorporates information from the Japanese Wikipedia article
Titles
- Count (July 1884)
- Marquess (1907)
- Duke (18 September 1922)
Decorations
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (22 July 1881)
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers (31 October 1899)
- Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum (14 July 1916; Grand Cordon: 1 April 1906)
Matsukata was named an Honorary Knight Grand Cross of
Honorary degrees
- D.C.L. (honorary) University of Oxford - June 1902, during a visit to the United Kingdom[7]
Personal life and relatives
Matsukata had many children (at least 13 sons and 11 daughters) and grandchildren. It is said that
Matsukata's son, Kōjirō Matsukata (1865–1950) led a successful business career at the head of the Kawasaki Heavy Industries and K Line groups, while investing his significant personal fortune in the acquisition of several thousand examples of Western painting, sculpture and decorative arts. His intention was that the collection should serve as the nucleus of a national museum of western art. Although not achieved during his lifetime, the 1959 creation of the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo was a vindication of this passion for art and a demonstration of the foresight which benefits his countrymen and others.[13]
Another son, Shokuma Matsukata, married Miyo Arai (1891-1984), who, as Miyo A. Matsukata, was instrumental in introducing the Christian Science religion to Japan, and who became one of the first Japanese to engage in the public practice of Christian Science healing. [14]
His granddaughter, journalist
References
- ^ 松方正義誕生地 (Matsukata Masayoshi birth place) - Kagoshima City 鹿児島市. Retrieved 2013-05-26.
- ^ OCLC 18743960.
- S2CID 163999291.
- ^ Roberts, George E. (1900). Annual report of the Director of the Mint (US), p. 393.
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36755. London. 30 April 1902. p. 9.
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36758. London. 3 May 1902. p. 9.
- ^ a b "University intelligence". The Times. No. 36788. London. 7 June 1902. p. 9.
- ^ "Latest intelligence - Count Matsugata". The Times. No. 36824. London. 19 July 1902. p. 7.
- ^ "Latest Intelligence - Count Matsugata". The Times. No. 36831. London. 28 July 1902. p. 5.
- ^ "No. 27493". The London Gazette (Supplement). November 7, 1902. p. 7162.
- ^ "Birthday Honours". The Times. No. 36921. London. 10 November 1902. p. 10.
- ISBN 978-0-7425-3933-4.
- ^ National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo: NMWA collection
- ^ "Women of History: Miyo Matsukata". 6 May 2019.
- ^ Stewart, Barbara. "Haru M. Reischauer, 83; Eased Tensions With Japan", New York Times. October 5, 1998.
Sources
- ISBN 0-06-093130-2.
- Matsukata, Masayoshi. Report on the Adoption of the Gold Standard in Japan. Adamant Media Corporation (November 30, 2005). ISBN 1-4021-8236-8.
- Reischauer, Haru Matsukata. Samurai and Silk: A Japanese and American Heritage. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1986. ISBN 0-674-78800-1.
- Sagers, John H. Origins of Japanese Wealth and Power : Reconciling Confucianism and Capitalism, 1830-1885. 1st ed. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4039-7111-1
- Sims, Richard. Japanese Political History Since the Meiji Renovation 1868–2000. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 0-312-23915-7.