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Matsukata Masayoshi
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 Prime Minister of Japan |
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| In office 6 May 1891 – 8 August 1892 |
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| Preceded by | Yamagata Aritomo |
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| Succeeded by | Ito Hirobumi |
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6th Prime Minister of Japan
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| In office 18 September 1896 – 12 January 1898 |
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| Preceded by | Ito Hirobumi |
| Succeeded by | Ito Hirobumi |
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| Born | 25 February 1835 Kagoshima, Satsuma province, Japan |
| Died | 2 July 1924 (aged 89) Tokyo, Japan |
| Political party | none |
| Spouse | Masako Matsukata |
| Occupation | Finance Minister |
| Religion | Shinto |
Matsukata Masayoshi, 1st Prince Matsukata (松方 正義 Matsukata Masayoshi?), GCMG (25 February 1835–2 July 1924) was a Japanese politician and the 4th (6 May 1891–8 August 1892) and 6th (18 September 1896–12 January 1898) Prime Minister of Japan.
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Early life
Matsukata was born into a samurai family in Kagoshima, Satsuma province (present-day Kagoshima Prefecture). At the age of 13, he entered the Zoshikan, the Satsuma domain's Confucian academy, where he studied the teachings of Wang Yangming, which stressed loyalty to the Emperor. He started his career as a bureaucrat of the Satsuma domain. In 1866, he was sent to Nagasaki to study western science, mathematics and surveying. Matsukata was highly regarded by Okubo Toshimichi and Saigō Takamori, who used him as their liaison between Kyoto and the domain government in Kagoshima. At the time of the Meiji Restoration, he helped maintain order in Nagasaki after the collapse of the Tokugawa bakufu. In 1868, Matsukata was appointed governor of Hita Prefecture (part of present day Ōita Prefecture) by the new Meiji government.
Financial Reform
Matsukata moved to Tokyo in 1871 and began work on drafting laws for the Land Tax Reform of 1873-1881.
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 Home Minister in 1880. In the following year, when Okuma Shigenobu was expelled in a political upheaval, he became Finance Minister. The Japanese economy was in a crisis situation due to rampant inflation. Matsukata introduced a policy of financial austerity called "Matsukata Deflation," which reintroduced confidence in the currency and financial institutions. Matsukata also established the Bank of Japan in 1882, which has issued paper money instead of the government since that time. When Ito Hirobumi was appointed the first Prime Minister of Japan in 1885, he appointed Matsukata to be the first Finance Minister under the new Meiji Constitution.
Matsukata also sought to protect Japanese industry from foreign competition, but was restricted by the unequal treaties. The unavailability of protectionist devices probably benefited Japan in the long run, as it enabled Japan to develop its export industries. The national government also tried to create government industries to produce particular products or services. Lack of funds forced the government to turn these industries over to private businesses which in return for special privileges agreed to pursue the government's goals. This arrangement led to the rise of the zaibatsu system.
Matsukata served as finance minister in seven of the first 10 cabinets, and for 18 of the 20 year period from 1881-1901. He also wrote Articles 62-72 of the Meiji Constitution of 1889.
Prime Minister
Matsukata followed Yamagata Aritomo as Prime Minister from 6 May 1891 - 8 August 1892, and followed Ito Hirobumi as Prime Minister from 18 September 1896 - 12 January 1898, during which times he concurrently also held office as finance minister.
One issue of his term in office was the Black Ocean Society, which operated with the support of certain powerful figures in the government and in return was powerful enough to demand concessions from the government. They demanded and received promises of a strong foreign policy from the 1892 Matsukata Cabinet.
Later, Matsukata successively held offices as president of the Japanese Red Cross Society, privy councillor, gijokan, member of the House of Peers, and Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan. Later, he was given the title of prince and genrō.
Awards and honors
Matsukata was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG).
Personal life and relatives
Masayoshi had many children (at least 13 sons and 11 daughters) and grandchildren. It is said that Emperor Meiji asked him how many children he had; but Masayoshi was unable to give an exact answer.citation needed
Masayoshi's eldest son, Matsukata Kojiro (1865-1950), invested 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.[1]
His granddaughter, journalist Haru Matsukata Reischauer, married the American scholar of Japanese history, acdemic, statesman and United States Ambassador to Japan, Edwin Oldfather Reischauer.[2]
Notes
- ^ National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo: NMWA collection
- ^ Stewart, Barbara. "Haru M. Reischauer, 83; Eased Tensions With Japan," New York Times. October 5, 1998.
References
- Bix, Herbert B. Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan. Harper Perennial (2001). 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 Havard University Press, 1986. ISBN 0674788001.
- Sims, Richard. Japanese Political History Since the Meiji Renovation 1868–2000. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 0-312-23915-7.
External links
| Preceded by Yamagata Aritomo |
Prime Minister of Japan | Succeeded by Ito Hirobumi |
| Preceded by Ito Hirobumi |
Prime Minister of Japan | Succeeded by Ito Hirobumi |
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