Fusanosuke Kuhara
Encyclopedia
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
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...
.
He was a syndicalist, 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:...
member, and mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
industrialist, later becoming a right-wing supporter in wartime Japan.
He was nephew to the Denzaburo Fujita, and brother-in-law to mining leader Gisuke Ayukawa. Born in Hagi
Hagi, Yamaguchi
is a city located in Yamaguchi, Japan and was incorporated as a city on July 1, 1932. Formerly part of Abu District.On March 6, 2005, the former city of Hagi merged with the towns of Susa and Tamagawa, and the villages of Asahi, Fukue, Kawakami and Mutsumi to form the new city of Hagi.Iwami Airport...
, and died in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. He graduated from Tokyo Commercial School (now Hitotsubashi University
Hitotsubashi University
is a national university specialised in the social sciences in Tokyo, Japan. The University has campuses in Kunitachi, Kodaira, and Kanda.Hitotsubashi is considered as one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. It is ranked 25th in the world in 2011 by École des Mines de Paris.Hitotsubashi...
) in 1885, and graduated from Keio University
Keio University
,abbreviated as Keio or Keidai , is a Japanese university located in Minato, Tokyo. It is known as the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi originally established it as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo . It has eleven campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa...
in 1889.
As a businessman
Through an investment from his uncle FujitaFujita
Fujita is a common family name in Japan. It may also refer to the following.*Atsushi Fujita , a Japanese long-distance runner*Emi Fujita , a Japanese singer*Fujita zaibatsu, a Japanese Osaka-based zaibatsu...
, Kuhara purchased the Hitachi Mine, formerly the Akasawa Silver Mine, in December 1905, and in two years it grew to become one of the four largest copper mines in Japan at the time. Using the success of this investment, in 1912, Kuhara founded Kuhara Trading Co., Ltd.
In 1915, copper poisoning in the area prompted Kuhara to knock down the shorter, older smoke stack in favour of a chimney 155 metres tall (the tallest chimney in the world at that time) It was built on the top of a mountain near the refinery. In this regard, Kuhara was the first to make use of the upper-layer air current.
Unfortunately for Kuhara, Japanese economy began caving in as World War I
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...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
developed, and after the 1923 Great Kantō 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...
destroyed a number of his investments, he fell into debt, finally closing in 1928.
As a politician
Kuhara had, from prior to the warWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
had been a syndicalist. He was also noted as the leader of the newly-emerging 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:...
faction of Seiyukai (Political Friends Society). When Japan lost and the War Criminals' Trials began, he was accused by authorities of active participation in support of the February 26 Incident
February 26 Incident
The was an attempted coup d'état in Japan, from February 26 to 29, 1936 carried out by 1,483 troops of the Imperial Japanese Army. Several leading politicians were killed and the center of Tokyo was briefly occupied by the rebelling troops...
, which supposedly gave funds and refuge to radical militarists in the Coup d'etat
Coup 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...
.
During the Japanese War Trials, he was accused, but not tried, and released. Absolved of the charges, and joined the radicalist group 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...
. Kuhara acted as spokesman for the organization and was called the new "Political Messiah" the Prince Fumimaro Konoe
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 :...
, descended from Karuizawa Mountains for charged of political power.
Follow-up
The Hitachi Mine was succeeded by Gisuke Ayukawa, and taken over in 1981 by the Nippon Mining Holdings.Kuhara Trading Co., Ltd was succeeded by Nissei Limited.
External links
See also
- Hitachi, Ltd.Hitachi, Ltd.is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The company is the parent of the Hitachi Group as part of the larger DKB Group companies...
- Hitachi, IbarakiHitachi, Ibarakiis a city located on the Pacific Ocean in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Its name could be directly translated as "sunrise", but probably more appropriately adapted to "prosperous wealth" .-Demographics:...
- Nissan
- Gisuke Ayukawa