Matsukata Masayoshi
Encyclopedia
Prince
was a Japan
ese politician
and the 4th (6 May 1891 – 8 August 1892) and 6th (18 September 1896 -12 January 1898) Prime Minister of Japan
.
family in Kagoshima
, Satsuma province
(present-day Kagoshima Prefecture
). At the age of 13, he entered the Zoshikan, the Satsuma domain's Confucian academy
, where he studied the teachings of Wang Yangming
, which stressed loyalty to the Emperor. He started his career as a bureaucrat of the Satsuma domain. In 1866, he was sent to Nagasaki to study western science, mathematics and surveying. Matsukata was highly regarded by Ōkubo Toshimichi
and Saigō Takamori
, who used him as their liaison between Kyoto
and the domain government in Kagoshima.
Knowing that war was coming between Satsuma and the Tokugawa, Matsukata purchased a ship available in Nagasaki for use in the coming conflict. This ship was then given the name Kasuga
. The leaders of Satsuma felt the ship was best used as cargo vessel and so Matsukata resigned his position as captain of the ship he had purchased. Just a few months later the Kasuga did become a warship and it fought in the Boshin War
against the Tokugawa ships. At the time of the Meiji Restoration
, he helped maintain order in Nagasaki after the collapse of the Tokugawa bakufu. In 1868, Matsukata was appointed governor of Hita Prefecture (part of present day Ōita Prefecture
) by his friend Okubo who was the powerful minister of the interior for the new Meiji government.
As governor Matsukata instituted a number of reforms including road building, starting the port of Beppu
, and building a successful orphanage. His ability as an administrator was noted in Tokyo and after two years he was summoned to the capital.
in 1871 and began work on drafting laws for the Land Tax Reform of 1873-1881.
Under the new system:
The new tax system was radically different from the traditional tax gathering system, which required taxes to be paid with rice
varied according to location and the amount of rice produced. The new system took some years to be accepted by the Japanese people.
Matsukata became Home Minister
in 1880. In the following year, when Ōkuma Shigenobu was expelled in a political upheaval, he became Finance Minister
. The Japanese economy was in a crisis situation due to rampant inflation
. Matsukata introduced a policy of fiscal restraint that resulted in what has come to be called the "Matsukata Deflation." The economy was eventually stabilized, but the resulting crash in commodity prices caused many smaller landholders to lose their fields to money-lending neighbors. Matsukata also established the Bank of Japan
in 1882, which has issued paper money
instead of the government since that time. When Itō Hirobumi
was appointed the first Prime Minister of Japan
in 1885, he appointed Matsukata to be the first Finance Minister under the new Meiji Constitution
.
Matsukata also sought to protect Japanese industry from foreign competition, but was restricted by the unequal treaties
. The unavailability of protectionist devices probably benefited Japan in the long run, as it enabled Japan to develop its export industries. The national government also tried to create government industries to produce particular products or services. Lack of funds forced the government to turn these industries over to private businesses which in return for special privileges agreed to pursue the government's goals. This arrangement led to the rise of the zaibatsu
system.
Matsukata served as finance minister in seven of the first 10 cabinets, and for 18 of the 20 year period from 1881-1901. He also wrote Articles 62-72 of the Meiji Constitution of 1889.
as Prime Minister from 6 May 1891 - 8 August 1892, and followed Ito Hirobumi as Prime Minister from 18 September 1896 - 12 January 1898, during which times he concurrently also held office as finance minister.
One issue of his term in office was the Black Ocean Society, which operated with the support of certain powerful figures in the government and in return was powerful enough to demand concessions from the government. They demanded and received promises of a strong foreign policy from the 1892 Matsukata Cabinet.
Matsukata successively held offices as president of the Japanese Red Cross Society, privy councillor, gijokan, member of the House of Peers
, and Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan
. Later, he was given the title of prince and genrō
.
(GCMG).
Masayoshi's son, Matsukata Kōjirō
(1865–1950), invested his significant personal fortune in the acquisition of several thousand examples of Western painting, sculpture and decorative arts. His intention was that the collection should serve as the nucleus of a national museum of western art. Although not achieved during his lifetime, the 1959 creation of the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo
was a vindication of this passion for art and a demonstration of the foresight which benefits his countrymen and others.
His granddaughter, journalist Haru Matsukata Reischauer
, married the American scholar of Japanese history, academic, statesman and United States Ambassador to Japan
, Edwin Oldfather Reischauer
.
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 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 politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and the 4th (6 May 1891 – 8 August 1892) and 6th (18 September 1896 -12 January 1898) 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...
.
Early life
Matsukata was born into a samuraiSamurai
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 in Kagoshima
Kagoshima, Kagoshima
is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture at the southwestern tip of the Kyūshū island of Japan, and the largest city in the prefecture by some margin...
, Satsuma province
Satsuma Province
was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. Its abbreviation is Sasshū .During the Sengoku Period, Satsuma was a fief of the Shimazu daimyo, who ruled much of southern Kyūshū from their castle at Kagoshima city.In 1871, with the...
(present-day Kagoshima Prefecture
Kagoshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...
). At the age of 13, he entered the Zoshikan, the Satsuma domain's Confucian academy
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
, where he studied the teachings of Wang Yangming
Wang Yangming
Wang Yangming was a Ming Chinese idealist Neo-Confucian philosopher, official, educationist, calligraphist and general. After Zhu Xi, he is commonly regarded as the most important Neo-Confucian thinker, with interpretations of Confucianism that denied the rationalist dualism of the orthodox...
, which stressed loyalty to the Emperor. He started his career as a bureaucrat of the Satsuma domain. In 1866, he was sent to Nagasaki to study western science, mathematics and surveying. Matsukata was highly regarded by Ōkubo Toshimichi
Okubo Toshimichi
, was a Japanese statesman, a samurai of Satsuma, and one of the three great nobles who led the Meiji Restoration. He is regarded as one of the main founders of modern Japan.-Early life:...
and Saigō Takamori
Saigo Takamori
was one of the most influential samurai in Japanese history, living during the late Edo Period and early Meiji Era. He has been dubbed the last true samurai.-Early life:...
, who used him as their liaison between Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
and the domain government in Kagoshima.
Knowing that war was coming between Satsuma and the Tokugawa, Matsukata purchased a ship available in Nagasaki for use in the coming conflict. This ship was then given the name Kasuga
Japanese warship Kasuga (1862)
was a Japanese wooden paddle steamer warship of the Bakumatsu and early Meiji period, serving with the navy of Satsuma Domain, and later with the fledgling Imperial Japanese Navy.-Service in the Boshin War:...
. The leaders of Satsuma felt the ship was best used as cargo vessel and so Matsukata resigned his position as captain of the ship he had purchased. Just a few months later the Kasuga did become a warship and it fought in 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....
against the Tokugawa ships. At the time 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...
, he helped maintain order in Nagasaki after the collapse of the Tokugawa bakufu. In 1868, Matsukata was appointed governor of Hita Prefecture (part of present day Ōita Prefecture
Oita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan on Kyūshū Island. The prefectural capital is the city of Ōita.- History :Around the 6th century Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi-no-kuni 筑紫国, Hi-no-kuni 肥国, and Toyo no kuni...
) by his friend Okubo who was the powerful minister of the interior for the new Meiji government.
As governor Matsukata instituted a number of reforms including road building, starting the port of Beppu
Beppu, Oita
is a city located in Ōita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan, at the west end of Beppu Bay. As of January 1, 2011, the city has an official population of 125,664 and a total area of 125.13 km², with a population density of 977 persons per km²....
, and building a successful orphanage. His ability as an administrator was noted in Tokyo and after two years he was summoned to the capital.
Financial Reform
Matsukata moved to TokyoTokyo
, ; 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...
in 1871 and began work on drafting laws for the Land Tax Reform of 1873-1881.
Under the new system:
- a taxpayer paid taxes with money instead of rice
- taxes were calculated based on the price of estates, not the amount of the agricultural product produced, and
- tax rates were fixed at 3% of the value of estates and an estate holder was obliged to pay those taxes.
The new tax system was radically different from the traditional tax gathering system, which required taxes to be paid with rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
varied according to location and the amount of rice produced. The new system took some years to be accepted by the Japanese people.
Matsukata became Home Minister
Home Ministry (Japan)
The ' was a Cabinet-level ministry established under the Meiji Constitution that managed the internal affairs of Empire of Japan from 1873-1947...
in 1880. In the following year, when Ōkuma Shigenobu was expelled in a political upheaval, he became Finance Minister
Ministry of Finance (Japan)
The ' is one of cabinet-level ministries of the Japanese government. The ministry was once named Ōkura-shō . The Ministry is headed by the Minister of Finance , who is a member of the Cabinet and is typically chosen from members of the Diet by the Prime Minister.The Ministry's origin was back in...
. The Japanese economy was in a crisis situation due to rampant inflation
Inflation
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a...
. Matsukata introduced a policy of fiscal restraint that resulted in what has come to be called the "Matsukata Deflation." The economy was eventually stabilized, but the resulting crash in commodity prices caused many smaller landholders to lose their fields to money-lending neighbors. Matsukata also established the Bank of Japan
Bank of Japan
is the central bank of Japan. The Bank is often called for short. It has its headquarters in Chuo, Tokyo.-History:Like most modern Japanese institutions, the Bank of Japan was founded after the Meiji Restoration...
in 1882, which has issued paper money
Paper Money
Paper Money is the second album by the band Montrose. It was released in 1974 and was the band's last album to feature Sammy Hagar as lead vocalist.-History:...
instead of the government since that time. When Itō Hirobumi
Ito Hirobumi
Prince was a samurai of Chōshū domain, Japanese statesman, four time Prime Minister of Japan , genrō and Resident-General of Korea. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire...
was appointed the first 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...
in 1885, he appointed Matsukata to be the first Finance Minister under the new Meiji Constitution
Meiji Constitution
The ', known informally as the ', was the organic law of the Japanese empire, in force from November 29, 1890 until May 2, 1947.-Outline:...
.
Matsukata also sought to protect Japanese industry from foreign competition, but was restricted by the unequal treaties
Unequal Treaties
“Unequal treaty” is a term used in specific reference to a number of treaties imposed by Western powers, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, on Qing Dynasty China and late Tokugawa Japan...
. The unavailability of protectionist devices probably benefited Japan in the long run, as it enabled Japan to develop its export industries. The national government also tried to create government industries to produce particular products or services. Lack of funds forced the government to turn these industries over to private businesses which in return for special privileges agreed to pursue the government's goals. This arrangement led to the rise of the 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:...
system.
Matsukata served as finance minister in seven of the first 10 cabinets, and for 18 of the 20 year period from 1881-1901. He also wrote Articles 62-72 of the Meiji Constitution of 1889.
Prime minister
Matsukata followed Yamagata AritomoYamagata Aritomo
Field Marshal Prince , also known as Yamagata Kyōsuke, was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and twice Prime Minister of Japan. He is considered one of the architects of the military and political foundations of early modern Japan. Yamagata Aritomo can be seen as the father of Japanese...
as Prime Minister from 6 May 1891 - 8 August 1892, and followed Ito Hirobumi as Prime Minister from 18 September 1896 - 12 January 1898, during which times he concurrently also held office as finance minister.
One issue of his term in office was the Black Ocean Society, which operated with the support of certain powerful figures in the government and in return was powerful enough to demand concessions from the government. They demanded and received promises of a strong foreign policy from the 1892 Matsukata Cabinet.
Matsukata successively held offices as president of the Japanese Red Cross Society, privy councillor, gijokan, 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 ....
, and Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan
The was an administrative post not of Cabinet rank in the government of the Empire of Japan. The Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal was responsible for keeping the Privy Seal of Japan and State Seal of Japan....
. Later, he was given the title of prince and genrō
Genro
was an unofficial designation given to certain retired elder Japanese statesmen, considered the "founding fathers" of modern Japan, who served as informal extraconstitutional advisors to the emperor, during the Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa periods in Japanese history.The institution of genrō...
.
Awards and honors
Matsukata was named an Honorary Knight Grand Cross of Order of St Michael and St GeorgeOrder of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(GCMG).
Personal life and relatives
Masayoshi had many children (at least 13 sons and 11 daughters) and grandchildren. It is said that Emperor Meiji asked him how many children he had; but Masayoshi was unable to give an exact answer.Masayoshi's son, Matsukata Kōjirō
Matsukata Kojiro
was an early 20th-century businessman who devoted his life and fortune to amassing a collection of Western art which, he hoped, would become the nucleus of a Japanese national museum focused particularly on masterworks of the Western art tradition...
(1865–1950), invested his significant personal fortune in the acquisition of several thousand examples of Western painting, sculpture and decorative arts. His intention was that the collection should serve as the nucleus of a national museum of western art. Although not achieved during his lifetime, the 1959 creation of the National Museum of Western Art 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...
was a vindication of this passion for art and a demonstration of the foresight which benefits his countrymen and others.
His granddaughter, journalist Haru Matsukata Reischauer
Haru M. Reischauer
was a writer and wife of the U.S. Ambassador to Japan Edwin O. Reischauer. She was a granddaughter of Matsukata Masayoshi, a liberal finance minister in the Meiji era....
, married the American scholar of Japanese history, academic, statesman and United States Ambassador to Japan
United States Ambassador to Japan
The United States Ambassador to Japan is the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary from the United States to Japan. Since the opening of Japan by Commodore Matthew C. Perry, in 1854, the U.S. maintained diplomatic relations with Japan, except for the ten-year period following the attack on...
, Edwin Oldfather Reischauer
Edwin O. Reischauer
Edwin Oldfather Reischauer was the leading U.S. educator and noted scholar of the history and culture of Japan, and of East Asia. From 1961–1966, he was the U.S. ambassador to Japan.-Education and academic life:...
.
Sources
- Bix, Herbert B. Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan. Harper Perennial (2001). ISBN 0-06-093130-2.
- Matsukata, Masayoshi. Report on the Adoption of the Gold Standard in Japan. Adamant Media Corporation (November 30, 2005). ISBN 1-4021-8236-8.
- Reischauer, Haru Matsukata. Samurai and Silk: A Japanese and American Heritage. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1986. ISBN 0674788001.
- Sims, Richard. Japanese Political History Since the Meiji Renovation 1868–2000. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 0-312-23915-7.