Tokugawa Iesato
Encyclopedia
Prince
was the first head of the Tokugawa clan
after the overthrow of the Tokugawa bakufu, and a figure in Japanese politics during the Meiji
, Taishō
and early Shōwa period
Japan
.
branch of the Tokugawa clan, under the name Kamenosuke, he became its 16th head, following the resignation of the last Shogun
, Tokugawa Yoshinobu
. His brothers were Tokugawa Satotaka
and Tokugawa Takachiyo
, who also held the Tayasu headship at different times. Iesato was also briefly the daimyō
of the short-lived Shizuoka han, before the abolition of the han system
in the early 1870s. Though he was Yoshinobu's adopted son, his guardian at the time was Matsudaira Naritami
, the former lord of the Tsuyama domain
.
for studies. He returned to Japan in 1882, and was given the title of kōshaku (公爵, prince) under the kazoku
peerage system. He became a member of the House of Peers
of the Diet of Japan
from its creation in 1890, and served as President of the House of Peers from 1901-1933. When the administration of Prime Minister
Yamamoto Gonnohyoe
was brought down by the Siemens scandal
, there was a strong movement to have Tokugawa Iesato nominated to be his successor.
Following World War I
, Iesato served on the Japanese delegation to the Washington Naval Conference
. His support of the United States
position on the 10:10:6 division of naval strength between the United States, Great Britain
and Japan drew considerable wrath from the ultra-rightist movements and conservative factions within the Imperial Japanese Navy
.
Iesato is remembered for having recovered the political fortunes and reputation of the Tokugawa family, holding many senior government positions before his retirement, including a tenure as 6th head of the Japanese Red Cross
Society, head of the Japan-America Society, and President of the national organizing committee for the 1940 Olympics
.
Iesato is quoted as once having said about his adoptive father: "Yoshinobu destroyed the Tokugawa house; I rebuilt it."
His grave is at the Tokugawa family cemetery at the temple of Kanei-ji in Ueno, Tokyo
. He was succeeded by Tokugawa Iemasa
.
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
was the first head of the Tokugawa clan
Tokugawa clan
The was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...
after the overthrow of the Tokugawa bakufu, and a figure in Japanese politics during the Meiji
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
, Taishō
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...
and early Shōwa period
Showa period
The , or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, from December 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989.The Shōwa period was longer than the reign of any previous Japanese emperor...
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...
.
Early life
Tokugawa Iesato was born to the TayasuGosankyo
The ' were three branches of the Tokugawa clan of Japan. They were descended from the eighth of the fifteen Tokugawa shoguns, Yoshimune . Yoshimune established the Gosankyo to augment the Gosanke, the heads of the powerful han of Owari, Kishū, and Mito...
branch of the Tokugawa clan, under the name Kamenosuke, he became its 16th head, following the resignation of the last Shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
, Tokugawa Yoshinobu
Tokugawa Yoshinobu
was the 15th and last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He was part of a movement which aimed to reform the aging shogunate, but was ultimately unsuccessful...
. His brothers were Tokugawa Satotaka
Tokugawa Satotaka
Count was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period who became a government official in the Meiji, Taishō, and Shōwa eras. Younger brother of Tokugawa Iesato....
and Tokugawa Takachiyo
Tokugawa Takachiyo
was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period who succeeded Tokugawa Yoshiyori as incumbent to the Tayasu-Tokugawa headship....
, who also held the Tayasu headship at different times. Iesato was also briefly the daimyō
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
of the short-lived Shizuoka han, before the abolition of the han system
Abolition of the han system
The was an act, in 1871, of the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan to replace the traditional feudal domain system and to introduce centralized government authority . This process marked the culmination of the Meiji Restoration in that all daimyo were required to return their authority...
in the early 1870s. Though he was Yoshinobu's adopted son, his guardian at the time was Matsudaira Naritami
Matsudaira Naritami
was a Japanese daimyo of the late Edo period who ruled the Tsuyama Domain of Mimasaka Province.Born Tokugawa Ginnosuke, the 16th son of the shogun Tokugawa Ienari, Naritami was adopted by Matsudaira Naritaka of Tsuyama. Naritami succeeded him in late 1831, continuing as daimyo of Tsuyama until 1855...
, the former lord of the Tsuyama domain
Tsuyama Domain
The was a feudal domain in Mimasaka Province of Japan during the Edo period.- History :In 1600, the territory that became the Tsuyama domain formed part of the territory ruled from Okayama by Kobayakawa Hideaki...
.
Career and legacy
In 1877, Iesato was sent to Great BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
for studies. He returned to Japan in 1882, and was given the title of kōshaku (公爵, prince) under 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. He became a member of 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 ....
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...
from its creation in 1890, and served as President of the House of Peers from 1901-1933. When the administration of 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...
Yamamoto Gonnohyoe
Yamamoto Gonnohyoe
, also called Gonnohyōe, was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and the 16th and 22nd Prime Minister of Japan.-Early life:...
was brought down by 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...
, there was a strong movement to have Tokugawa Iesato nominated to be his successor.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Iesato served on the Japanese delegation to the Washington Naval Conference
Washington Naval Conference
The Washington Naval Conference also called the Washington Arms Conference, was a military conference called by President Warren G. Harding and held in Washington from 12 November 1921 to 6 February 1922. Conducted outside the auspices of the League of Nations, it was attended by nine nations...
. His support of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
position on the 10:10:6 division of naval strength between the United States, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Japan drew considerable wrath from the ultra-rightist movements and conservative factions within the Imperial 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...
.
Iesato is remembered for having recovered the political fortunes and reputation of the Tokugawa family, holding many senior government positions before his retirement, including a tenure as 6th head of the Japanese Red Cross
Japanese Red Cross
The ' is the Japanese affiliate of the International Red Cross.The Imperial Family of Japan traditionally has supported the society, with Empress as Honorary President and other royal family members as vice-presidents. Its headquarters is located in Tokyo and local chapters are set up in all 47...
Society, head of the Japan-America Society, and President of the national organizing committee for the 1940 Olympics
1940 Summer Olympics
The anticipated 1940 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XII Olympiad and originally scheduled to be held from September 21 to October 6, 1940, in Tokyo, Japan, were cancelled due to the outbreak of World War II...
.
Iesato is quoted as once having said about his adoptive father: "Yoshinobu destroyed the Tokugawa house; I rebuilt it."
His grave is at the Tokugawa family cemetery at the temple of Kanei-ji in Ueno, Tokyo
Ueno, Tokyo
is a district in Tokyo's Taitō Ward, best known as the home of Ueno Station and Ueno Park. Ueno is also home to some of Tokyo's finest cultural sites, including the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, and the National Science Museum, as well as a major public concert hall...
. He was succeeded by Tokugawa Iemasa
Tokugawa Iemasa
Prince , 2nd Prince Tokugawa Japanese political figure of the Taishō and Shōwa period. Seventeenth head of the former Tokugawa shogunal house, he held a variety of government positions, including ambassador to Turkey...
.