Den Kenjiro
Encyclopedia
Baron was a Japanese politician and cabinet minister in the pre-war government of the Empire of Japan
. He was also the 8th Japanese Governor-General of Taiwan
from October 29, 1919 to September 1923, and the first civilian
to hold that position.
of Tamba Province
(part of the modern-day city of Tamba, Hyōgo
), where his father was a wealthy farmer and landholder. After the Meiji restoration
, he sought his fortune in Kumamoto Prefecture
(1874), followed by Aichi Prefecture
in 1875. Entering service of the police department, he was subsequently assigned to Kochi Prefecture
, Kanagawa Prefecture
and Saitama Prefecture
. Around 1890, he came to the attention of Communications Minister Gotō Shōjirō
, who recruited him into the central bureaucracy of the Meiji government. He served on the board of governors of the Japanese Government Railways
, and was then appointed president of the Kansai Railway Company. In 1901, under the sponsorship of Itō Hirobumi
and the Rikken Seiyūkai
political party, he was elected to the Lower House
of the Diet of Japan
. He served for two non-consecutive terms, returning each time to a senior post within the Ministry of Communications. In 1906, he was appointed to the House of Peers
, and the following year was made a baron
(danshaku) within the kazoku
peerage system. In politics, he became closely aligned with the faction under the conservative genrō
, Yamagata Aritomo
, but later broke with Yamagata over issues pertaining to the Siemens scandal
.
Den was also one of the founders of the Kaishinsha Motorcar Works in 1914. The “D” in the company acronym “DAT” was from “Den”. Later changed to “Datson”, the company was acquired by the Nissan zaibatsu
in the 1930s.
Under Prime Minister Terauchi Masatake
, Den was appointed Minister of Communications. He was subsequently appointed Governor-General of Taiwan. As Governor-General, he promoted a new policy of Doka, where Taiwan would be governed the same way as the Home Islands
, and Taiwanese would be assimilated into normal Japanese society. Several major reforms were carried out during Den's tenure, including various administrative reforms, expansion of the public education system, the abolition of caning
as a criminal punishment, construction of the Chanan Reservoir, and the legalization of Japanese-Taiwanese intermarriage. Under his tenure, then Crown Prince
Hirohito
made a state visit to Taiwan.
Following the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake
, Den was recalled to Japan, and asked to take the posts of Minister of Justice
and Minister of Agriculture and Commerce
in the 2nd Yamamoto Gonnohyōe
administration. Together with Home Minister
Gotō Shimpei
, he laid the foundations for the reconstruction of Tokyo after the disaster. However, along with the rest of the cabinet, he was forced to resign in the aftermath of the Toranomon Incident
. After 1925, he served as a member of the Privy Council
. Den died of complications following a Intracranial hemorrhage
in 1930 at his home in Setagaya, Tokyo
. His grave is at the Tama Cemetery in Fuchū, Tokyo
.
Den kept a detailed diary from 1906 to his death in 1930, which forms an important source document for the history of politics during the Taishō period
of Japanese history.
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
. He was also the 8th Japanese Governor-General of Taiwan
Governor-General of Taiwan
The position of Governor-General of Taiwan existed when Taiwan and the Pescadores were part of the Empire of Japan, from 1895 to 1945.The Japanese Governors-General were members of the Diet, civilian officials, Japanese nobles or generals...
from October 29, 1919 to September 1923, and the first civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
to hold that position.
Biography
Den was born in Tamba-Kaibara Domain, located in Hikami DistrictHikami District, Hyogo
Hikami was a district located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. On November 1, 2004 all six towns in the district merged to form the city of Tamba, thereby dissolving the district....
of Tamba Province
Tamba Province
was an old province of Japan. The ambit of its borders encompassed both the central part of modern Kyoto Prefecture and the east-central part of Hyōgo Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Tango Province...
(part of the modern-day city of Tamba, Hyōgo
Tamba, Hyogo
is a city located in Hyōgo, Japan.The city was formed on November 1, 2004 from the merger of all six towns of the former Hikami District: Aogaki, Ichijima, Kaibara, Kasuga, Sannan and Hikami....
), where his father was a wealthy farmer and landholder. After the Meiji restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, he sought his fortune in Kumamoto Prefecture
Kumamoto Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...
(1874), followed by Aichi Prefecture
Aichi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...
in 1875. Entering service of the police department, he was subsequently assigned to Kochi Prefecture
Kochi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...
, Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
and Saitama Prefecture
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
. Around 1890, he came to the attention of Communications Minister Gotō Shōjirō
Goto Shojiro
Count was a Japanese samurai and politician during the Bakumatch and early Meiji period of Japanese history. He was a leader of which would evolve into a political party.- Early life :...
, who recruited him into the central bureaucracy of the Meiji government. He served on the board of governors of the Japanese Government Railways
Japanese Government Railways
The Japanese Government Railways was the national railway system directly operated by the central government of Japan until 1949. It is a predecessor of Japanese National Railways and the Japan Railways Group.- Name :...
, and was then appointed president of the Kansai Railway Company. In 1901, under the sponsorship of Itō Hirobumi
Ito Hirobumi
Prince was a samurai of Chōshū domain, Japanese statesman, four time Prime Minister of Japan , genrō and Resident-General of Korea. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire...
and the Rikken Seiyūkai
Rikken Seiyukai
The was one of the main political parties in the pre-war Empire of Japan. It was also known simply as the ‘Seiyūkai'Founded on September 15, 1900 by Itō Hirobumi , the Seiyūkai was a pro-government alliance of bureaucrats and former members of the Kenseitō. The Seiyūkai was the most powerful...
political party, he was elected to the Lower House
House of Representatives of Japan
The is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the upper house.The House of Representatives has 480 members, elected for a four-year term. Of these, 180 members are elected from 11 multi-member constituencies by a party-list system of proportional representation,...
of the Diet of Japan
Diet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
. He served for two non-consecutive terms, returning each time to a senior post within the Ministry of Communications. In 1906, he was appointed to the House of Peers
House of Peers (Japan)
The ' was the upper house of the Imperial Diet as mandated under the Constitution of the Empire of Japan ....
, and the following year was made a baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
(danshaku) within the kazoku
Kazoku
The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan that existed between 1869 and 1947.-Origins:Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the ancient court nobility of Kyoto regained some of its lost status...
peerage system. In politics, he became closely aligned with the faction under the conservative genrō
Genro
was an unofficial designation given to certain retired elder Japanese statesmen, considered the "founding fathers" of modern Japan, who served as informal extraconstitutional advisors to the emperor, during the Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa periods in Japanese history.The institution of genrō...
, Yamagata Aritomo
Yamagata Aritomo
Field Marshal Prince , also known as Yamagata Kyōsuke, was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and twice Prime Minister of Japan. He is considered one of the architects of the military and political foundations of early modern Japan. Yamagata Aritomo can be seen as the father of Japanese...
, but later broke with Yamagata over issues pertaining to the Siemens scandal
Siemens scandal
of January 1914 was one of several spectacular political scandals of late Meiji and Taishō period Japanese politics, leading to the fall of the cabinet of Yamamoto Gonnohyoe...
.
Den was also one of the founders of the Kaishinsha Motorcar Works in 1914. The “D” in the company acronym “DAT” was from “Den”. Later changed to “Datson”, the company was acquired by the Nissan zaibatsu
Zaibatsu
is a Japanese term referring to industrial and financial business conglomerates in the Empire of Japan, whose influence and size allowed for control over significant parts of the Japanese economy from the Meiji period until the end of World War II.-Terminology:...
in the 1930s.
Under Prime Minister Terauchi Masatake
Terauchi Masatake
, GCB was a Japanese military officer and politician. He was a Field Marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and the 18th Prime Minister of Japan from 9 October 1916 to 29 September 1918.-Early period:...
, Den was appointed Minister of Communications. He was subsequently appointed Governor-General of Taiwan. As Governor-General, he promoted a new policy of Doka, where Taiwan would be governed the same way as the Home Islands
Japanese Archipelago
The , which forms the country of Japan, extends roughly from northeast to southwest along the northeastern coast of the Eurasia mainland, washing upon the northwestern shores of the Pacific Ocean...
, and Taiwanese would be assimilated into normal Japanese society. Several major reforms were carried out during Den's tenure, including various administrative reforms, expansion of the public education system, the abolition of caning
Caning
Caning is a form of corporal punishment consisting of a number of hits with a single cane usually made of rattan, generally applied to the offender's bare or clothed buttocks or hand . Application of a cane to the knuckles or the shoulders has been much less common...
as a criminal punishment, construction of the Chanan Reservoir, and the legalization of Japanese-Taiwanese intermarriage. Under his tenure, then Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
Hirohito
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
made a state visit to Taiwan.
Following the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake
1923 Great Kanto earthquake
The struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...
, Den was recalled to Japan, and asked to take the posts of Minister of Justice
Ministry of Justice (Japan)
The is one of Ministries of the Japanese government.-Meiji Constitution:The Ministry of Justice was established under the Constitution of the Empire of Japan in 1871 as the .-Constitution of Japan:...
and Minister of Agriculture and Commerce
Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce
The was a cabinet-level ministry in the government of the Empire of Japan from 1881-1925. It was briefly recreated as the during World War II-History:...
in the 2nd Yamamoto Gonnohyōe
Yamamoto Gonnohyoe
, also called Gonnohyōe, was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and the 16th and 22nd Prime Minister of Japan.-Early life:...
administration. Together with Home Minister
Home Ministry (Japan)
The ' was a Cabinet-level ministry established under the Meiji Constitution that managed the internal affairs of Empire of Japan from 1873-1947...
Gotō Shimpei
Goto Shimpei
Count was a Japanese statesman. He served as the head of civilian affairs of Taiwan under Japanese rule, the first director of the South Manchuria Railway, the seventh mayor of Tokyo, the first Chief Scout of Japan, the first director of NHK, the third principal of Takushoku University, and the...
, he laid the foundations for the reconstruction of Tokyo after the disaster. However, along with the rest of the cabinet, he was forced to resign in the aftermath of the Toranomon Incident
Toranomon Incident
The was an assassination attempt on the then Prince Regent Hirohito of Japan on 27 December 1923 by communist agitator Daisuke Namba.The incident took place at the Toranomon intersection between the Akasaka Palace and the Diet of Japan in downtown Tokyo, Japan...
. After 1925, he served as a member of the Privy Council
Privy Council (Japan)
was an advisory council to the Emperor of Japan that operated from 1888 to 1947.-Functions:Modeled in part upon the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, this body advised the throne on matters of grave importance including:...
. Den died of complications following a Intracranial hemorrhage
Intracranial hemorrhage
An intracranial hemorrhage is a hemorrhage, or bleeding, within the skull.-Causes:Intracranial bleeding occurs when a blood vessel within the skull is ruptured or leaks. It can result from physical trauma or nontraumatic causes such as a ruptured aneurysm...
in 1930 at his home in Setagaya, Tokyo
Setagaya, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo in Japan. It is also the name of a neighborhood within the ward. The ward calls itself the City of Setagaya in English...
. His grave is at the Tama Cemetery in Fuchū, Tokyo
Fuchu, Tokyo
is a city located in western Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 255,394 and a population density of 8,700 persons per km². The total area was 29.34 km²...
.
Den kept a detailed diary from 1906 to his death in 1930, which forms an important source document for the history of politics during the Taishō period
Taisho period
The , or Taishō era, is a period in the history of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign of the Taishō Emperor. The health of the new emperor was weak, which prompted the shift in political power from the old oligarchic group of elder statesmen to the Diet...
of Japanese history.