Ryūtarō Nagai
Encyclopedia
, was a politician and cabinet minister in the Empire of Japan
, serving a member of the Lower House
of the Diet of Japan
eight times, and four as a cabinet minister.
, Ishikawa Prefecture
, where his father had been a samurai
in the service of the Maeda clan
. Nagai was a student at Waseda University
, and at the recommendation of Okuma Shigenobu
, travelled to Oxford University in England
for further studies before graduating from Waseda with a degree in Colonial Studies.
Nagai ran for a seat in the Lower House of the Diet during the 1917 General Election, but was defeated by the Rikken Seiyūkai
candidate Nakahashi Tokugōrō by only 203 votes. For the 1920 General Election
, Nakahashi changed his electoral district to Osaka, and Nagai was elected. He retained his seat over the next seven elections, eventually rising to the position of Secretary-General of the Rikken Minseitō
political party. Nagai was known for his strong oratory, combining ponderous speech with colorful or flamboyant phrases. (He was once censured by the Diet for making a congratulatory speech on the inauguration of Prime Minister Hara Takashi
by comparing Hara’s victory to that of Lenin
in the Soviet Union
).
In May 1932, Nagai was picked to be Minister of Colonial Affairs
under the Saitō administration
, which he held until July 1934. In June 1937, he was selected to be Minister of Communications
under the Konoe administration
, until January 1939 and returned to the same post from August 1939 to January 1940 under the Abe administration. Also under the Abe administration, he served as Railroad Minister concurrently with his term as Minister of Communications. He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun
, 1st class.
A leading member of the pro-military clique within the Rikken Minseitō, Nagai was a member of the League of Diet Members Carry Through the Holy War and a key supporter of Konoe’s plan to create a single-party state under the Taisei Yokusankai
. Under the war-time regime, he was appointed a political bureau chief for Greater East Asia Development Board, and also founded the “Greater Japan Scholarship Foundation”, the predecessor to the modern Japan Student Services Organization.
Nagai died in 1944, shortly after the Tokyo Air Raid, which he felt partly responsible for.
Michio Nagai, Minister of Education in the Miki administration
was Nagai’s eldest son.
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...
, serving a member of 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...
eight times, and four as a cabinet minister.
Biography
Nagai was born in KanazawaKanazawa, Ishikawa
is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.-Geography, climate, and population:Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its total area is 467.77 km².Kanazawa's...
, Ishikawa Prefecture
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
, where his father had been a samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
in the service of the Maeda clan
Maeda clan
The was a branch of the Sugawara clan who descended from Sugawara no Kiyotomo and Sugawara no Michizane in the eighth and ninth centuries. It was one of the most powerful samurai families in Japan and they were second only to the Tokugawa clan in rice production and fief size...
. Nagai was a student at Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
, and at the recommendation of Okuma Shigenobu
Okuma Shigenobu
Marquis ; was a statesman in the Empire of Japan and the 8th and 17th Prime Minister of Japan...
, travelled to Oxford University in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for further studies before graduating from Waseda with a degree in Colonial Studies.
Nagai ran for a seat in the Lower House of the Diet during the 1917 General Election, but was defeated by 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...
candidate Nakahashi Tokugōrō by only 203 votes. For the 1920 General Election
Japanese general election, 1920
The was the Empire of Japan’s fourteenth general election for members of the House of Representatives of the Diet of Japan, held on May 10, 1920. The Rikken Seiyūkai, led by Prime Minister Hara Takashi expanded on its majority of seats in the Diet.-Results:...
, Nakahashi changed his electoral district to Osaka, and Nagai was elected. He retained his seat over the next seven elections, eventually rising to the position of Secretary-General of the Rikken Minseitō
Rikken Minseito
was one of the main political parties in pre-war Empire of Japan. It was commonly known as the 'Minseitō'.The Minseitō was founded on 1 June 1927, by a merger of the Kenseikai and the Seiyu Hontō political parties. Its leadership included Osachi Hamaguchi, Wakatsuki Reijirō, Yamamoto Tatsuo, ...
political party. Nagai was known for his strong oratory, combining ponderous speech with colorful or flamboyant phrases. (He was once censured by the Diet for making a congratulatory speech on the inauguration of Prime Minister Hara Takashi
Hara Takashi
was a Japanese politician and the 19th Prime Minister of Japan from 29 September 1918 to 4 November 1921. He was also called Hara Kei informally. He was the first commoner appointed to the office of prime minister of Japan...
by comparing Hara’s victory to that of Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
).
In May 1932, Nagai was picked to be Minister of Colonial Affairs
Ministry of Colonial Affairs
The was a cabinet-level ministry in the government of the Empire of Japan from 1923-1942.-History:The original Ministry of Colonial Affairs was the short-lived Hokkaidō Colonization Office, established in the early Meiji period by Prime Minister Kuroda Kiyotaka to protect Japan's sparely populated...
under the Saitō administration
Saito Makoto
Viscount was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy, two-time Governor-General of Korea from 1919 to 1927 and from 1929 to 1931, and the 30th Prime Minister of Japan from May 26, 1932 to July 8, 1934.-Early life:...
, which he held until July 1934. In June 1937, he was selected to be Minister of Communications
Ministry of Communications
Ministry of Communications may refer to:* Ministry of Communications * Ministry of Communications * Ministry of Communications * Ministry of Communications of Morocco...
under the Konoe administration
Fumimaro Konoe
Prince was a politician in the Empire of Japan who served as the 34th, 38th and 39th Prime Minister of Japan and founder/leader of the Taisei Yokusankai.- Early life :...
, until January 1939 and returned to the same post from August 1939 to January 1940 under the Abe administration. Also under the Abe administration, he served as Railroad Minister concurrently with his term as Minister of Communications. He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun
Order of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
, 1st class.
A leading member of the pro-military clique within the Rikken Minseitō, Nagai was a member of the League of Diet Members Carry Through the Holy War and a key supporter of Konoe’s plan to create a single-party state under 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...
. Under the war-time regime, he was appointed a political bureau chief for Greater East Asia Development Board, and also founded the “Greater Japan Scholarship Foundation”, the predecessor to the modern Japan Student Services Organization.
Nagai died in 1944, shortly after the Tokyo Air Raid, which he felt partly responsible for.
Michio Nagai, Minister of Education in the Miki administration
Takeo Miki
was a Japanese politician and the 41st Prime Minister of Japan.-Background summary:Born in Awa, Tokushima, Miki graduated from Meiji University in Tokyo...
was Nagai’s eldest son.