Kawasaki Takukichi

Kawasaki Takukichi
川崎 卓吉
Kawasaki in 1929
Minister of Commerce and Industry
In office
9 March 1936 – 27 March 1936
Prime MinisterKōki Hirota
Preceded byMachida Chūji
Succeeded byGōtarō Ogawa
Minister of Education
In office
2 February 1936 – 9 March 1936
Prime MinisterKeisuke Okada
Preceded byGenji Matsuda
Succeeded byShigenosuke Ushio (acting)
Hirao Hachisaburō
Chief Cabinet Secretary
In office
14 April 1931 – 13 December 1931
Prime MinisterWakatsuki Reijirō
Preceded byFujiya Suzuki
Succeeded byKaku Mori
Director-General of the Legislative Bureau
In office
3 July 1929 – 14 April 1931
Prime MinisterHamaguchi Osachi
Kijūrō Shidehara (acting)
Hamaguchi Osachi
Preceded byYonezō Maeda
Succeeded byTakeuchi Sakuhei
Member of the House of Peers
In office
29 January 1926 – 27 March 1936
Nominated by the Emperor
Mayor of Nagoya
In office
1 April 1922 – 11 June 1924
Preceded byToranosuke Okita
Succeeded bySensuke Tachika
Governor of Fukushima Prefecture
In office
28 April 1916 – 28 June 1919
MonarchTaishō
Preceded bySukeharu Horiguchi
Succeeded byMitsuo Miyata
Personal details
Born(1871-03-08)8 March 1871
Died27 March 1936(1936-03-27) (aged 65)
Resting placeAoyama Cemetery
PartyRikken Minseitō (1927–1936)
Other political
affiliations
Independent (1916–1926)
Kenseikai (1926–1927)
Alma materTokyo Imperial University

Takukichi Kawasaki (川崎卓吉, Kawasaki Takukichi; 8 March 1871 – 27 March 1936) was a politician and cabinet minister in the pre-war Empire of Japan.

Biography

Kawasaki was born in what is now part of the city of Kure, Hiroshima as the second son of a local doctor. He graduated from Tokyo Imperial University’s Law School, continuing on to do post-graduate research in comparative political systems before obtaining a post at the Home Ministry. In 1916, he was appointed Governor of Fukushima Prefecture, and in 1919 was sent to Taiwan as Director-General for Home Affairs, and subsequently Director-General for Agriculture and Commerce. In 1922, Kawasaki was appointed mayor of Nagoya. Under his administration, the Yagoto Baseball Ground was built, and the first Japanese High School Baseball Invitational Tournament was held in 1924.

Later in 1924, Kawasaki was recalled to Tokyo to assume the post of Director-General of the National Police Agency under the Home Ministry. He became Deputy Home Minister in 1925. In 1926, he was invited to take a seat in the House of Peers in the Diet of Japan. He was recruited by Osachi Hamaguchi and Wakatsuki Reijirō to join the Kenseikai political party, and in 1927 joined the Rikken Minseitō.

In 1929, Kawasaki served in the Hamaguchi administration as Director-General of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau. In 1931, he served in the second Wakatsuki administration as Chief Cabinet Secretary . He was outspoken against the growing influence of fascism in Japan. In 1935, he became the leader of the Minseitō party.

Kawasaki was then picked to become Minister of Education by Prime Minister Keisuke Okada on February 1, 1936. However, the cabinet was forced to resign only a few weeks later due to the February 26 Incident. Prime Minister Kōki Hirota then asked that Kawasaki accept the post of Home Minister.[1] This choice was opposed by the Imperial Japanese Army, who wanted control over that powerful ministry, and Kawasaki was sidelined to become Minister of Commerce and Industry.[2] However, Kawasaki died before his formal investiture ceremony could even take place.

References

  • Yagami, Kazuo. Konoe Fumimaro and the Failure of Peace in Japan, 1937-1941. McFarland (2006) ISBN 0786422424
  • Johnson, Chalmers. Miti and the Japanese Miracle: The Growth of Industrial Policy : 1925-1975. Stanford University Press (1982) ISBN 080476560X

Notes

  1. ^ Yagami, Konoe Fumimaro and the Failure of Peace in Japan. Page 38
  2. ^ Chalmers, Miti and the Japanese Miracle Page 127.