Kingoro Hashimoto
Encyclopedia
was a soldier in the Imperial Japanese Army
and politician.
in 1920. In April 1922, he was assigned to the Kwangtung Army in Manchuria
and was stationed at Harbin
. In 1923, he was sent on special assignment to Manzhouli
, near the border with the Soviet Union. From September 1927 through June 1930, he was reassigned as military attaché
to Turkey. On his return to Japan, he was posted to the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff, and headed a Russian studies department. He was promoted to colonel in August, 1930 and became an instructor at the Army Staff College in October.
. He was also a founder of radical secret societies within the Army.
Hashimoto actively participated in the March incident
of 1931. The Sakura Kai
(Cherry Blossom Society) was formed secretly by him and Captain Isamu Chō
. The Sakura Kai group sought political reform: the elimination of party government by a coup d'état and the establishment of a new cabinet based upon state socialism
, in order to stamp out Japan's allegedly corrupt politics, economy, and thought. The attempt failed, but Hashimoto, along with Isamu Chō and Shūmei Ōkawa, organized a further coup, the Imperial Colors Incident
, also known as the October Incident, with Sadao Araki
. All the conspirators were arrested and transferred to other posts. There were also suspicions of the instigation of himself and Araki in the final attempt, the Military Academy Incident
.
Despite these failures, Hashimoto continued as an active radical thinker during World War II. He was involved in the Taisei Yokusankai
(Imperial Rule Assistance Association). He proposed a nationalist single party dictatorship, based on socialism
. The militarists had strong industrial support, but also socialist-nationalist sentiments on the part of radical officers, aware of poor farmers and workers who wanted social justice
. He represented the extreme left-wing of the militarists. Supporters of Fumimaro Konoye's "Right-Socialist" revolution (socialist and populist
ideas, rooted in the poorest farmers, fishermen, and industrial workers), opposed the "right-wing" militarists represented by Senjuro Hayashi
, in the same "revolutionary grouping". Later receiving political patronage by Hiranuma Kiichirō another right-wing politician with Japanese Navy
links in the official establishment.
Hashimoto later was elected to the House of Representatives
, and became vice-president of the Diet of Japan
. The Imperial Youth Federation
under his leadership had a mission of guiding the nationalist and militarist indoctrination of young people during war time, in a similar post to Baldur von Schirach
and Arthur Axmann, leaders in the Hitler Youth
German youth political organization in wartime.
He was involved in the Panay incident
of December 12, 1937 in which Japanese bombers attacked and sank, without provocation, the USS Panay
on the Yangzi River in China
. Hashimoto was the senior Japanese officer in the region, and a few days after the sinking was quoted in US newspapers as saying "I had orders to fire."
Hashimoto was a fervent supporter of aggressive policies during the Second Chinese-Japanese War period.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East
.
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
and politician.
Early career
Hashimoto was born in Okayama City, and a graduate of the 23rd class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1911. He subsequently graduated from the Army Staff CollegeArmy War College (Japan)
The ; Short form: of the Empire of Japan was founded in 1882 in Minato, Tokyo to modernize and Westernize the Imperial Japanese Army. Much of the empire's elite including prime ministers during the period of Japanese militarism were graduates of the college....
in 1920. In April 1922, he was assigned to the Kwangtung Army in Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
and was stationed at Harbin
Harbin
Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River...
. In 1923, he was sent on special assignment to Manzhouli
Manzhouli
- Administration :Manzhouli is divided into ten subdistricts and one town. Six of the subdistricts of Manzhouli are grouped into a district. Technically however, only a prefecture-level city can have districts, so Manzhouli's lone district is not officially listed.- History :In ancient times the...
, near the border with the Soviet Union. From September 1927 through June 1930, he was reassigned as military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
to Turkey. On his return to Japan, he was posted to the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff, and headed a Russian studies department. He was promoted to colonel in August, 1930 and became an instructor at the Army Staff College in October.
Political involvement
From the middle of 1930, Hashimoto became increasingly involved in right-wing politics within the military, with active participation in various attempts at coups d'étatCoup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
. He was also a founder of radical secret societies within the Army.
Hashimoto actively participated in the March incident
March Incident
The ' was an abortive coup d'état attempt in Japan, in March 1931, launched by the radical Sakurakai secret society within the Imperial Japanese Army, aided by civilian ultranationalist groups.-Background and History:...
of 1931. The Sakura Kai
Sakura Kai
' was an ultranationalist secret society established by young officers within the Imperial Japanese Army in September 1930, with the goal of reorganizing the state along totalitarian militaristic lines, via a military coup d'état if necessary...
(Cherry Blossom Society) was formed secretly by him and Captain Isamu Chō
Isamu Cho
- Notes :...
. The Sakura Kai group sought political reform: the elimination of party government by a coup d'état and the establishment of a new cabinet based upon state socialism
State socialism
State socialism is an economic system with limited socialist characteristics, such as public ownership of major industries, remedial measures to benefit the working class, and a gradual process of developing socialism through government policy...
, in order to stamp out Japan's allegedly corrupt politics, economy, and thought. The attempt failed, but Hashimoto, along with Isamu Chō and Shūmei Ōkawa, organized a further coup, the Imperial Colors Incident
Imperial Colors Incident
The , also known as the , was an abortive coup d'état attempt in Japan, on 21 October 1931, launched by the Sakurakai secret society within the Imperial Japanese Army, aided by civilian ultranationalist groups.-Background and History:...
, also known as the October Incident, with Sadao Araki
Sadao Araki
Baron was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army before World War II. A charismatic leader and one of the principal nationalist right-wing political theorists in the late Japanese Empire, he was regarded as the leader of the radical faction within the politicized Japanese Army and served as...
. All the conspirators were arrested and transferred to other posts. There were also suspicions of the instigation of himself and Araki in the final attempt, the Military Academy Incident
Military Academy Incident
The ', also known as the ' was an attempted coup d'état that took place in Japan in November 1934. It was one of a sequence of similar conspiracies for a 'Shōwa Restoration' led by radical elements with the Imperial Japanese Army.-Background and History:...
.
Despite these failures, Hashimoto continued as an active radical thinker during World War II. He was involved in the Taisei Yokusankai
Taisei Yokusankai
The was Japan's para-fascist organization created by Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe on October 12, 1940 to promote the goals of his Shintaisei movement...
(Imperial Rule Assistance Association). He proposed a nationalist single party dictatorship, based on socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
. The militarists had strong industrial support, but also socialist-nationalist sentiments on the part of radical officers, aware of poor farmers and workers who wanted social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
. He represented the extreme left-wing of the militarists. Supporters of Fumimaro Konoye's "Right-Socialist" revolution (socialist and populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
ideas, rooted in the poorest farmers, fishermen, and industrial workers), opposed the "right-wing" militarists represented by Senjuro Hayashi
Senjuro Hayashi
was an Imperial Japanese Army commander of the Chosen Army of Japan in Korea during the Mukden Incident and the invasion of Manchuria, and a Japanese politician and the 33rd Prime Minister of Japan from February 2, 1937 to June 4, 1937.-Biography:...
, in the same "revolutionary grouping". Later receiving political patronage by Hiranuma Kiichirō another right-wing politician with Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
links in the official establishment.
Hashimoto later was elected to the House of Representatives
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,...
, and became vice-president 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...
. The Imperial Youth Federation
Imperial Youth Federation
The , later known as the , was a nationalist youth organization in the Empire of Japan modeled after to Nazi Germany's Hitler Youth.-History:The Dai-Nippon Seinento was a youth organization founded by ultranationalist activist Colonel Kingoro Hashimoto on October 17, 1937, following Hashimoto's...
under his leadership had a mission of guiding the nationalist and militarist indoctrination of young people during war time, in a similar post to Baldur von Schirach
Baldur von Schirach
Baldur Benedikt von Schirach was a Nazi youth leader later convicted of being a war criminal. Schirach was the head of the Hitler-Jugend and Gauleiter and Reichsstatthalter of Vienna....
and Arthur Axmann, leaders in the Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
German youth political organization in wartime.
He was involved in the Panay incident
Panay incident
The USS Panay Incident was a Japanese attack on the American gunboat while she was anchored in the Yangtze River outside Nanking , China on December 12, 1937. Japan and the United States were not at war at the time. The Japanese claimed that they did not see the American flags painted on the deck...
of December 12, 1937 in which Japanese bombers attacked and sank, without provocation, the USS Panay
USS Panay
Three vessels of the United States Navy have been named USS Panay, after the Visayan Island Panay.* The first Panay was originally a Spanish gunboat in the Philippines, purchased in 1899 after the American occupation, and in various service until 1914, and sold in 1920. Among those who served upon...
on the Yangzi River in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Hashimoto was the senior Japanese officer in the region, and a few days after the sinking was quoted in US newspapers as saying "I had orders to fire."
Hashimoto was a fervent supporter of aggressive policies during the Second Chinese-Japanese War period.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East
International Military Tribunal for the Far East
The International Military Tribunal for the Far East , also known as the Tokyo Trials, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, or simply the Tribunal, was convened on April 29, 1946, to try the leaders of the Empire of Japan for three types of crimes: "Class A" crimes were reserved for those who...
.