Shigeru Yoshida
Encyclopedia
, KCVO
(September 22, 1878 – October 20, 1967) was a Japan
ese diplomat
and politician who served as Prime Minister
of Japan
from 1946 to 1947 and from 1948 to 1954.
in the Russo-Japanese War
. He was Japan's ambassador to Italy
and the United Kingdom
during the 1930s and finally retired from his last appointment as ambassador to London in 1938. Throughout the 1930s and before the war ended in the early 1940s, Yoshida continued to participate in Japan's imperialist movement. After several months' imprisonment in 1945, he became one of Japan's key postwar leaders.
After being replaced with Tetsu Katayama
on May 24, 1947, he returned to the post as the 48th prime minister on October 15, 1948.
military protection at the expense of independence in foreign affairs, became known as the Yoshida Doctrine
and shaped Japanese foreign policy during the Cold War
era and beyond.
Under Yoshida's leadership, Japan began to rebuild its lost industrial infrastructure and placed a premium on unrestrained economic growth. Many of these concepts still impact Japan's political and economic policies. However, since the 1970s environmental movement, the bursting of Japan's economic bubble, and the end of the Cold War, Japan has been struggling to redefine its national goals. His administration openly encouraged a "3-S" policy—sports, screen, and sex, a change from the strict pre-war censorship of materials labeled obscene or immoral.
He was retained in three succeeding elections (49th: February 16, 1949; 50th: October 30, 1952; and 51st: May 21, 1953). Power slipped away as he was ousted on December 10, 1954, when he was replaced by Ichirō Hatoyama
.
Yoshida retired from the Diet of Japan
in 1963.
throughout most of his life. His funeral was held in St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo
.
Yoshida's grandson, Tarō Asō
, is a Japanese politician and served as the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan from 2008 to 2009.
The most widely held works by Yoshida include:
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Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(September 22, 1878 – October 20, 1967) was a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and politician who served as Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
from 1946 to 1947 and from 1948 to 1954.
Early life
Yoshida was born in Yokosuka near Tokyo and educated at Tokyo Imperial University. He entered Japan's diplomatic corps in 1906 just after Japan's victory against RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
. He was Japan's ambassador to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during the 1930s and finally retired from his last appointment as ambassador to London in 1938. Throughout the 1930s and before the war ended in the early 1940s, Yoshida continued to participate in Japan's imperialist movement. After several months' imprisonment in 1945, he became one of Japan's key postwar leaders.
Prime ministership
Yoshida became the 45th prime minister on May 22, 1946. His pro-American and pro-British ideals and his knowledge of Western societies, gained through education and political work abroad are what made him the perfect candidate in the eyes of the postwar Allied occupation.After being replaced with Tetsu Katayama
Tetsu Katayama
was a Japanese politician and the 46th Prime Minister from May 24, 1947 to March 10, 1948.- Early life :He was born in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, and attended Tokyo Imperial University. Raised in the Christian faith, he was strongly influenced by the Christian Socialism of Abe Isō...
on May 24, 1947, he returned to the post as the 48th prime minister on October 15, 1948.
Policies
Yoshida's policies, emphasizing Japan's economic recovery and a reliance on United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military protection at the expense of independence in foreign affairs, became known as the Yoshida Doctrine
Yoshida Doctrine
The Yoshida Doctrine, named after Japan's post-World War II Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida, involved placing highest national priority on economic development, while simultaneously keeping a low diplomatic profile....
and shaped Japanese foreign policy during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
era and beyond.
Under Yoshida's leadership, Japan began to rebuild its lost industrial infrastructure and placed a premium on unrestrained economic growth. Many of these concepts still impact Japan's political and economic policies. However, since the 1970s environmental movement, the bursting of Japan's economic bubble, and the end of the Cold War, Japan has been struggling to redefine its national goals. His administration openly encouraged a "3-S" policy—sports, screen, and sex, a change from the strict pre-war censorship of materials labeled obscene or immoral.
He was retained in three succeeding elections (49th: February 16, 1949; 50th: October 30, 1952; and 51st: May 21, 1953). Power slipped away as he was ousted on December 10, 1954, when he was replaced by Ichirō Hatoyama
Ichiro Hatoyama
was a Japanese politician and the 52nd, 53rd and 54th Prime Minister of Japan, serving terms from December 10, 1954 through March 19, 1955, from then to November 22, 1955, and from then through December 23, 1956.-Personal life:...
.
Yoshida retired from 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...
in 1963.
Later years
In 1967, Yoshida was baptized on his deathbed after hiding his CatholicismCatholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
throughout most of his life. His funeral was held in St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo
St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo
St. Mary's Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo. It is located in the Sekiguchi neighborhood of Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan....
.
Yoshida's grandson, Tarō Asō
Taro Aso
was the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan serving from September 2008 to September 2009, and was defeated in the August 2009 election.He has served in the House of Representatives since 1979. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007, and was Secretary-General of the LDP briefly in 2007 and...
, is a Japanese politician and served as the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan from 2008 to 2009.
Selected works
Yoshida's published writings encompass 159 works in 307 publications in 6 languages; His work can be found in the collections of 5,754 libraries worldwide (as of 05 June 2001).The most widely held works by Yoshida include:
- The Yoshida Memoirs: the Story of Japan in Crisis; 15 editions published between 1957 and 1983 in English and Japanese and held by 875 libraries worldwide.
- Japan's Decisive Century, 1867-1967; 1 edition published in 1967 in English and held by 650 libraries worldwide.
- Yoshida Shigeru: Last Meiji Man; 2 editions published in 2007 in English and held by 286 libraries worldwide.
- 日本を決定した百年; 7 editions published between 1967 and 2006 in 3 languages and held by 46 libraries worldwide.
- 大磯隨想; 5 editions published between 1962 and 1991 in Japanese and held by 34 libraries worldwide.
- 吉田茂書翰; 2 editions published in 1994 in Japanese and held by 31 libraries worldwide.
- 世界と日本; 3 editions published between 1963 and 1992 in Japanese and held by 26 libraries worldwide.
- Japan im Wiederaufstieg; die Yoshida Memoiren ; 1 edition published in 1963 in German and held by 9 libraries worldwide.
Further reading
- DowerJohn W. DowerJohn W. Dower is an American author and historian.Dower earned a bachelor's degree in American Studies from Amherst College in 1959, and a Ph.D. in History and Far Eastern Languages from Harvard University in 1972, where he studied under Albert M. Craig...
, John W. Empire and Aftermath: Yoshida Shigeru and the Japanese Experience, 1878-1954. - Edström, Bert. Yoshida Shigeru and the Foundation of Japan's Postwar Foreign Policy.
- Finn, Richard B. Winners in peace: MacArthur, Yoshida, and Postwar Japan.
External links
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