Hayashi Tadasu
Encyclopedia
was a career diplomat and cabinet minister in Meiji period
Japan
. Baron Matsumoto Ryōjun
, the onetime private physician to Tokugawa Yoshinobu
and founder of the Imperial Japanese Army
Medical Corps, was Hayashi’s brother.
, Shimōsa Province (present-day Chiba prefecture
, as the son of Sato Taizen, a physician practicing Dutch medicine
for Sakura Domain
. He was adopted as a child by Hayashi Dokai, a physician in the service of the Tokugawa Shogunate
, from whom he received the family name of ‘Hayashi’, but he sometimes referred to himself as ‘Sato Tosaburo’. He learned English
at the Hepburn Academy in Yokohama
(the forerunner of Meiji Gakuin University
).
From 1866-1868, Hayashi studied in Great Britain
at University College School
and King's College London
as one of fourteen young Japanese students (including Kikuchi Dairoku
) sent by the Tokugawa government on the advice of the then British foreign minister Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby
.
Hayashi returned home in the midst of the Boshin War
of the Meiji Restoration
, and joined with Tokugawa loyalists led by Enomoto Takeaki
, whom he accompanied to Hokkaidō
with the remnants of the Tokugawa fleet. He was captured by Imperial forces after the final defeat of the pro-Tokugawa Republic of Ezo
at the Battle of Hakodate
and imprisoned in Yokohama.
Released in 1871 by then Kanagawa governor Mutsu Munemitsu
, he was recruited to work for the Meiji government in 1871, and because of his language abilities and previous overseas experience was selected to accompany the Iwakura mission
to Europe and the United States
from 1871-1873.
, and then of Hyōgo Prefecture
. In 1891, he was appointed Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs. He was elevated to the title of baron
(danshaku) in the kazoku
peerage in 1895.
Hayashi was appointed as resident minister to the court of Qing Dynasty
China
at the Japanese legation in Beijing
, then resident minister to Russia
in St Petersburg, and finally resident minister to Great Britain
. While serving in London
from 1900, he worked to successfully conclude the Anglo-Japanese Alliance
and signed on behalf of the government of Japan on January 30, 1902. He was elevated to the title of viscount
(shishaku) in 1902.
On December 2, 1905 Hayashi became the first Japanese ambassador to the Court of St. James's
, as diplomatic relations were upgraded between the Empire of Japan and the British Empire. At that time Sir Claude MacDonald was Hayashi's opposite number in Tokyo
.
On becoming Foreign Minister
in the first Saionji cabinet in 1906, Hayashi concluded agreements with France (the Franco-Japanese Agreement of 1907) and Russia (the Russo-Japanese Agreements of 1907-1916). He served as Minister of Communications in the second Saionji cabinet and as interim foreign minister (1911–12). He was elevated to the title of count
(hakushaku) in the in 1907.
Hayashi died in 1913, and his grave is at Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo.
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 :...
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...
. Baron Matsumoto Ryōjun
Matsumoto Jun (physician)
' was a Japanese physician who served as the personal physician to the last Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu. He also studied photography with J. L. C...
, the onetime private physician to 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...
and founder of the Imperial Japanese Army
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...
Medical Corps, was Hayashi’s brother.
Early life
Hayashi was born in Sakura citySakura, Chiba
is a city located in northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 172,176 and a population density of 1660 persons per km². The total area was 103.59 km².-Geography:...
, Shimōsa Province (present-day Chiba prefecture
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
, as the son of Sato Taizen, a physician practicing Dutch medicine
Rangaku
Rangaku is a body of knowledge developed by Japan through its contacts with the Dutch enclave of Dejima, which allowed Japan to keep abreast of Western technology and medicine in the period when the country was closed to foreigners, 1641–1853, because of the Tokugawa shogunate’s policy of national...
for Sakura Domain
Sakura Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Shimōsa Province , Japan. It was centered on Sakura Castle in what is now part of the city of Sakura...
. He was adopted as a child by Hayashi Dokai, a physician in the service of the Tokugawa Shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
, from whom he received the family name of ‘Hayashi’, but he sometimes referred to himself as ‘Sato Tosaburo’. He learned English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
at the Hepburn Academy in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
(the forerunner of Meiji Gakuin University
Meiji Gakuin University
is one of the Christian universities in Tokyo and Yokohama which was established in 1863. The Reverend Dr. James Curtis Hepburn was one of the founders and the first president...
).
From 1866-1868, Hayashi studied in 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...
at University College School
University College School
University College School, generally known as UCS, is an Independent school charity situated in Hampstead, north west London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited many of that institution's progressive and secular views...
and King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
as one of fourteen young Japanese students (including Kikuchi Dairoku
Kikuchi Dairoku
Baron was a mathematician, educator, and educational administrator in Meiji period Japan.-Kikuchi's life and career:Kikuchi was born in Edo , as the second son of Mitsukuri Shuhei...
) sent by the Tokugawa government on the advice of the then British foreign minister Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby
Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby
Edward Henry Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby KG, PC, FRS , known as Lord Stanley from 1844 to 1869, was a British statesman...
.
Hayashi returned home in the midst of the Boshin War
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
of the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, and joined with Tokugawa loyalists led by Enomoto Takeaki
Enomoto Takeaki
Viscount was a samurai and admiral of the Tokugawa navy of Bakumatsu period Japan, who remained faithful to the Tokugawa shogunate who fought against the new Meiji government until the end of the Boshin War...
, whom he accompanied to Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
with the remnants of the Tokugawa fleet. He was captured by Imperial forces after the final defeat of the pro-Tokugawa Republic of Ezo
Republic of Ezo
The ' was a short-lived state established by former Tokugawa retainers in what is now known as Hokkaidō, the large but sparsely populated northernmost island in modern Japan.-Background:...
at the Battle of Hakodate
Battle of Hakodate
The was fought in Japan from October 20, 1868 to May 17, 1869, between the remnants of the Tokugawa shogunate army, consolidated into the armed forces of the rebel Ezo Republic, and the armies of the newly formed Imperial government...
and imprisoned in Yokohama.
Released in 1871 by then Kanagawa governor Mutsu Munemitsu
Mutsu Munemitsu
Count was a statesman and diplomat in Meiji period Japan.-Early life:Mutsu Munemitsu was born in Wakayama domain, Kii Province as the sixth son of Date Munehiro, a samurai retainer of the Kii Tokugawa clan...
, he was recruited to work for the Meiji government in 1871, and because of his language abilities and previous overseas experience was selected to accompany the Iwakura mission
Iwakura mission
The Iwakura Mission or Iwakura Embassy was a Japanese diplomatic journey around the world, initiated in 1871 by the oligarchs of the Meiji period. Although it was not the only such "mission", it is the most well-known and possibly most important for the modernization of Japan after a long period...
to Europe and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from 1871-1873.
Political career
On his return to Japan, Hayashi worked at the Ministry of Public Works, and later was appointed governor of Kagawa PrefectureKagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Shikoku island. The capital is Takamatsu.- History :Kagawa was formerly known as Sanuki Province.For a brief period between August 1876 and December 1888, Kagawa was made a part of Ehime Prefecture.-Battle of Yashima:...
, and then of Hyōgo Prefecture
Hyogo Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
. In 1891, he was appointed Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs. He was elevated to the title of baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
(danshaku) in 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 in 1895.
Hayashi was appointed as resident minister to the court of Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
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...
at the Japanese legation in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, then resident minister to Russia
Russia
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 St Petersburg, and finally resident minister to 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...
. While serving in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
from 1900, he worked to successfully conclude the Anglo-Japanese Alliance
Anglo-Japanese Alliance
The first was signed in London at what is now the Lansdowne Club, on January 30, 1902, by Lord Lansdowne and Hayashi Tadasu . A diplomatic milestone for its ending of Britain's splendid isolation, the alliance was renewed and extended in scope twice, in 1905 and 1911, before its demise in 1921...
and signed on behalf of the government of Japan on January 30, 1902. He was elevated to the title of viscount
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
(shishaku) in 1902.
On December 2, 1905 Hayashi became the first Japanese ambassador to the Court of St. James's
Court of St. James's
The Court of St James's is the royal court of the United Kingdom. It previously had the same function in the Kingdom of England and in the Kingdom of Great Britain .-Overview:...
, as diplomatic relations were upgraded between the Empire of Japan and the British Empire. At that time Sir Claude MacDonald was Hayashi's opposite number 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...
.
On becoming Foreign Minister
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Japan)
The of Japan is the Cabinet member responsible for Japanese foreign policy and the chief executive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Since the end of the American occupation of Japan, the position has been one of the most powerful in the Cabinet, as Japan's economic interests have long relied on...
in the first Saionji cabinet in 1906, Hayashi concluded agreements with France (the Franco-Japanese Agreement of 1907) and Russia (the Russo-Japanese Agreements of 1907-1916). He served as Minister of Communications in the second Saionji cabinet and as interim foreign minister (1911–12). He was elevated to the title of count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
(hakushaku) in the in 1907.
Hayashi died in 1913, and his grave is at Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo.
Honors
- Order of the Sacred TreasureOrder of the Sacred TreasureThe is a Japanese Order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan as the Order of Meiji. It is awarded in eight classes . It is generally awarded for long and/or meritorious service and considered to be the lowest of the Japanese orders of merit...
, 1st class (1895) - Order of the Rising SunOrder of the Rising SunThe 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 (1899) - Order of the Rising Sun, Grand Cordon (1906)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO)=1905
See also
- Anglo-Japanese relationsAnglo-Japanese relationsThe history of the relationship between Britain and Japan began in 1600 with the arrival of William Adams on the shores of Kyūshū at Usuki in Ōita Prefecture...
- Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 5th Marquess of LansdowneHenry Petty-FitzMaurice, 5th Marquess of LansdowneHenry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, KG, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC was a British politician and Irish peer who served successively as the fifth Governor General of Canada, Viceroy of India, Secretary of State for War, and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs...
- who signed the Anglo-Japanese alliance of January 30, 1902 for Britain when Hayashi signed for Japan - Japanese students in Britain
- Kikuchi DairokuKikuchi DairokuBaron was a mathematician, educator, and educational administrator in Meiji period Japan.-Kikuchi's life and career:Kikuchi was born in Edo , as the second son of Mitsukuri Shuhei...
- Imperial Rescript on EducationImperial Rescript on EducationThe ' was signed by Emperor Meiji of Japan on 30 October 1890 to articulate government policy on the guiding principles of education on the Empire of Japan...
External links
- Portrait of Hayashi Tadasu on the website of the National Diet Library, Tokyo