Keisuke Okada
Encyclopedia
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy
, politician
and the 31st Prime Minister of Japan
from 8 July 1934 to 9 March 1936.
to an ex-samurai
family. He attended the 15th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
, graduating 7th out of a class of 80 cadets in 1889. He served as a midshipman
on the ironclad warship
Kongō
and the cruiser . He later served as lieutenant
on the and as well as the corvette Hiei
.
In the First Sino-Japanese War
, Okada was serving on the . After his graduation from the Naval Staff College
, he subsequently served on the and as executive officer
on the .
During the Russo-Japanese War
, Okada served as executive officer on a successor of vessels, including the , and Asahi before being given his own command, the Kasuga on 25 July 1910. He later transferred to the in 1912.
Promoted to rear admiral
in 1 December 1913, Okada served in a number of desk jobs thereafter, including that of the Naval Shipbuilding Command. He was promoted to vice admiral
on 1 December 1917 and full admiral
on 11 June 1924.
Okada assumed the post of Commander-in-chief
of the Combined Fleet
in 1924. In 1927, he became Navy Minister
in the administration of Tanaka Giichi
, but resigned in 1929 to assume the post of military councillor on the Supreme War Council
.
Okada was one of the few supporters (Treaty Faction
) within the upper ranks of the Imperial Japanese Navy of the arms reduction treaty resulting London Naval Conference
of 1930, of which he helped negotiate, and he worked hard for its ratification. He again served as Navy Minister in the Saitō Makoto
cabinet of 1932.
holding simulateously the portfolio of Minister of Colonial Affairs
. In the month of September 1935, he also briefly held the portfolio of Minister of Communications
. Okada was one of the democratic and moderate voices against the increasing strength of the militarists
, and was therefore a major target for extremist forces pushing for a more totalitarian Japan. He narrowly escaped assassination in the February 26 Incident
of 1936, largely because rebel troops killed his brother-in-law by mistake, as well as his personal secretary, Colonel Denzō Matsuo. Okada emerged from hiding on 29 February 1936. However, he left office a few days later.
Okada was adamant in his opposition to the war with the United States
. During World War II
, Okada formed a group of like-minded politicians and military officers seeking an early end to the hostilities. After the defeat of Japanese forces at the Battle of Midway
and Battle of Guadalcanal, Okada pushed for negotiations with the Allies
, and played a leading role in the overthrow of the Hideki Tōjō
cabinet in 1944.
Okada died in 1952, and his grave is at the Tama Reien Cemetery, in Fuchū, Tokyo
.
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
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...
, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and the 31st Prime Minister of Japan
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...
from 8 July 1934 to 9 March 1936.
Early life
Okada was born in what is now Fukui PrefectureFukui Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Fukui.- Prehistory :The Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, on the Sugiyama River within the city limits of Katsuyama, has yielded the Fukuiraptor kitadaniensis and Fukuisaurus tetoriensis as well as an unnamed...
to an ex-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...
family. He attended the 15th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
The was a school established to train officers for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It originally located in Nagasaki, moved to Yokohama in 1866, and was relocated to Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1869. It moved to Etajima, Hiroshima in 1888...
, graduating 7th out of a class of 80 cadets in 1889. He served as a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
on the ironclad warship
Ironclad warship
An ironclad was a steam-propelled warship in the early part of the second half of the 19th century, protected by iron or steel armor plates. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or incendiary shells. The first ironclad battleship, La Gloire,...
Kongō
Japanese corvette Kongo (1877)
was the lead ship in the of armored sail-and-steam corvettes of the early Imperial Japanese Navy. Kongō was named after the Mount Kongō, in Nara Prefecture and the name was subsequently used for the World War II battleship , as well as the s of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense...
and the cruiser . He later served as lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on the and as well as the corvette Hiei
Japanese corvette Hiei (1877)
was the second and last vessel in the of armored sail-and-steam corvettes of the early Imperial Japanese Navy. Hiei was named after the Mount Hiei, outside of Kyoto, and the name was subsequently used for the World War II battleship .-History:...
.
In the First Sino-Japanese War
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
, Okada was serving on the . After his graduation from the Naval Staff College
Naval War College (Japan)
The was the staff college of the Imperial Japanese Navy, responsible for training officers for command positions either on warships, or in staff roles....
, he subsequently served on the and as executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
on the .
During 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...
, Okada served as executive officer on a successor of vessels, including the , and Asahi before being given his own command, the Kasuga on 25 July 1910. He later transferred to the in 1912.
Promoted to rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
in 1 December 1913, Okada served in a number of desk jobs thereafter, including that of the Naval Shipbuilding Command. He was promoted to vice admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
on 1 December 1917 and full admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
on 11 June 1924.
Okada assumed the post of Commander-in-chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the Combined Fleet
Combined Fleet
The was the main ocean-going component of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Combined Fleet was not a standing force, but a temporary force formed for the duration of a conflict or major naval maneuvers from various units normally under separate commands in peacetime....
in 1924. In 1927, he became Navy Minister
Ministry of the Navy of Japan
The was a cabinet-level ministry in the Empire of Japan charged with the administrative affairs of the Imperial Japanese Navy . It existed from 1872 to 1945.-History:...
in the administration of Tanaka Giichi
Tanaka Giichi
Baron was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, politician, and the 26th Prime Minister of Japan from 20 April 1927 to 2 July 1929.-Early life and military career:...
, but resigned in 1929 to assume the post of military councillor on the Supreme War Council
Supreme War Council (Japan)
The Supreme War Council was established during the development of representative government in Meiji period Japan to further strengthen the authority of the state. Its first leader was Yamagata Aritomo , a Chōshū native who has been credited with the founding of the modern Japanese army and was to...
.
Okada was one of the few supporters (Treaty Faction
Treaty Faction
The was an unofficial and informal political faction within the Imperial Japanese Navy in the 1920s-1930s of officers supporting the Washington Naval Treaty.-Background:...
) within the upper ranks of the Imperial Japanese Navy of the arms reduction treaty resulting London Naval Conference
London Naval Conference
There were three major international naval conferences in London, the first in 1908-09, the second in 1930 and the third in 1935. The latter two, together with the Washington Naval Conference in 1921-22 and the Geneva Conferences , resulted in agreements between the major powers on navy vessel...
of 1930, of which he helped negotiate, and he worked hard for its ratification. He again served as Navy Minister in the Saitō Makoto
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:...
cabinet of 1932.
Political career
In July 1934, Okada was named Prime Minister of JapanPrime 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...
holding simulateously the portfolio of 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...
. In the month of September 1935, he also briefly held the portfolio of 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...
. Okada was one of the democratic and moderate voices against the increasing strength of the militarists
Japanese militarism
refers to the ideology in the Empire of Japan that militarism should dominate the political and social life of the nation, and that the strength of the military is equal to the strength of a nation.-Rise of militarism :...
, and was therefore a major target for extremist forces pushing for a more totalitarian Japan. He narrowly escaped assassination in 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...
of 1936, largely because rebel troops killed his brother-in-law by mistake, as well as his personal secretary, Colonel Denzō Matsuo. Okada emerged from hiding on 29 February 1936. However, he left office a few days later.
Okada was adamant in his opposition to the war with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. During 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...
, Okada formed a group of like-minded politicians and military officers seeking an early end to the hostilities. After the defeat of Japanese forces at the Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
and Battle of Guadalcanal, Okada pushed for negotiations with the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
, and played a leading role in the overthrow of the Hideki Tōjō
Hideki Tōjō
Hideki Tōjō was a general of the Imperial Japanese Army , the leader of the Taisei Yokusankai, and the 40th Prime Minister of Japan during most of World War II, from 17 October 1941 to 22 July 1944...
cabinet in 1944.
Okada died in 1952, and his grave is at the Tama Reien Cemetery, in Fuchū, Tokyo
Fuchu, Tokyo
is a city located in western Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 255,394 and a population density of 8,700 persons per km². The total area was 29.34 km²...
.
Honors
- Order of the Golden KiteOrder of the Golden KiteThe ' was an order of the Empire of Japan, established on 12 February 1890 by Emperor Meiji "in commemoration of Jimmu Tennō, the Romulus of Japan."-Background:...
, (3rd class), 1915 - 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), 1920 - Order of the Paulownia FlowersOrder of the Paulownia FlowersThe ' is an order presented by the Japanese Government. Established in 1888 during the Meiji Restoration as the highest award in the Order of the Rising Sun; however, since 2003 it has been an Order in its own right...
, 1933
External links
|-|-
|-
|-
|-
|-