Matsutaro Shoriki
Encyclopedia
was the father of Japanese professional baseball
. Born in Daimon
, Toyama
, he was a media
mogul, owned the Yomiuri Shimbun
, one of Japan's major daily newspapers
, and founded Japan's first commercial television station, Nippon Television Network Corporation
. He also was elected to the House of Representatives
, appointed to the House of Peers and was one of the most successful judo
masters ever, reaching the extremely rare rank of 10th Dan
.
Shōriki organized an All-Star team in that matched up against an American All-Star team. While prior Japanese all-star contingents had disbanded, Shōriki went pro with this group, which eventually became known as the Yomiuri Giants
. Shōriki had faced an assassination attempt from right-wing nationalists for allowing Americans to play in Jingu Stadium
. Shōriki received a 16-inch-long scar from a broadsword during the assassination attempt.
Shōriki became Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) first commissioner in . In , Shōriki oversaw the realignment of the Japanese Baseball League
into its present two-league structure and the establishment of the Japan Series
. One goal Shōriki did not accomplish was a true world series. In , he was the first inductee into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
. He died October 9, 1969 in Atami, Shizuoka
.
The Matsutaro Shoriki Award is given annually to the person who contributes the most to Japanese baseball. The position of Chair of the Department of Asia, Oceania, and Africa at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
is also named after Shōriki.
Shōriki was classified as a "Class A" war criminal after the Second World War
. In Korea, he is known as the mastermind behind the ethnic cleansing on Koreans in the Tokyo
area in the immediate aftermath of the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923 when he was a police bureaucrat in the capital. In 2006, Tetsuo Arima, a professor specialising in media studies at Waseda University
in Tokyo, published an article that Shōriki acted as an agent under the codenames of "podam" and "pojacpot-1" for CIA
to establish a pro-US nationwide commercial television
network (NTV) and to introduce nuclear power
plants using US technologies across Japan. Arima's accusations are based on the findings of de-classified documents stored in the NARA
in Washington, DC. In 1956, Shōriki became chairman of the newly created AEC
in January, and in May of that year was appointed head of the brand-new Science and Technology Agency, both under the cabinet of Ichirō Hatoyama
with a strong support behind the scenes from CIA. He is later called "the father of nuclear power".
Professional baseball in Japan
Professional baseball in Japan first started in the 1920s, but it was not until the was established in 1934 that the modern professional game had continued success.-History:...
. Born in Daimon
Daimon, Toyama
was a town located in Imizu District, Toyama, Japan.On November 1, 2005 Daimon was merged with the towns of Kosugi and Ōshima, the village of Shimo, all from Imizu District, and the old city of Shinminato, to form the new city of Imizu and no longer exists as an independent municipality.As of 2003,...
, Toyama
Toyama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Toyama.Toyama is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, and has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity due to abundant water resources....
, he was a media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
mogul, owned the Yomiuri Shimbun
Yomiuri Shimbun
The is a Japanese newspaper published in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other major Japanese cities. It is one of the five national newspapers in Japan; the other four are the Asahi Shimbun, the Mainichi Shimbun, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, and the Sankei Shimbun...
, one of Japan's major daily newspapers
Japanese newspapers
Japanese newspapers , similar to their worldwide counterparts, run the gamut from general news-oriented papers to special interest newspapers devoted to economics, sports, literature, industry, and trade. Newspapers are circulated either nationally, by region , by prefecture, or by city...
, and founded Japan's first commercial television station, Nippon Television Network Corporation
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
. He also was elected to the House of Representatives
House of Representatives of Japan
The is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the upper house.The House of Representatives has 480 members, elected for a four-year term. Of these, 180 members are elected from 11 multi-member constituencies by a party-list system of proportional representation,...
, appointed to the House of Peers and was one of the most successful judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
masters ever, reaching the extremely rare rank of 10th Dan
Dan rank
The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...
.
Shōriki organized an All-Star team in that matched up against an American All-Star team. While prior Japanese all-star contingents had disbanded, Shōriki went pro with this group, which eventually became known as the Yomiuri Giants
Yomiuri Giants
The are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the...
. Shōriki had faced an assassination attempt from right-wing nationalists for allowing Americans to play in Jingu Stadium
Meiji Jingu Stadium
is a baseball stadium in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. It opened in 1926 and holds 37,933 spectators. Property of the Meiji Shrine, it is the home field of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows professional baseball team...
. Shōriki received a 16-inch-long scar from a broadsword during the assassination attempt.
Shōriki became Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) first commissioner in . In , Shōriki oversaw the realignment of the Japanese Baseball League
Japanese Baseball League
For the current Japanese Professional League, see Nippon Professional Baseball. was a professional baseball league in Japan.It was established on February 5, 1936 as "Japan Occupational Baseball League". Then it was renamed "Japanese Baseball League" in 1939. It was run until 1949. There was no...
into its present two-league structure and the establishment of the Japan Series
Japan Series
, or is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a seven-game series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League....
. One goal Shōriki did not accomplish was a true world series. In , he was the first inductee into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
The Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a Museum which includes a library, reference rooms and Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame ....
. He died October 9, 1969 in Atami, Shizuoka
Atami, Shizuoka
is a city located in the eastern end of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2010, the city has an estimated population of 39,755 and a population density of 645 people per km². The total area is 61.56 km².-Geography:...
.
The Matsutaro Shoriki Award is given annually to the person who contributes the most to Japanese baseball. The position of Chair of the Department of Asia, Oceania, and Africa at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
is also named after Shōriki.
Shōriki was classified as a "Class A" war criminal after the Second World War
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...
. In Korea, he is known as the mastermind behind the ethnic cleansing on Koreans in the 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...
area in the immediate aftermath of the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923 when he was a police bureaucrat in the capital. In 2006, Tetsuo Arima, a professor specialising in media studies at Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
in Tokyo, published an article that Shōriki acted as an agent under the codenames of "podam" and "pojacpot-1" for CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
to establish a pro-US nationwide commercial television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
network (NTV) and to introduce nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
plants using US technologies across Japan. Arima's accusations are based on the findings of de-classified documents stored in the NARA
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
in Washington, DC. In 1956, Shōriki became chairman of the newly created AEC
Atomic Energy Commission
Many countries have or have had an Atomic Energy Commission. These include:* Australian Atomic Energy Commission * Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission * Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique...
in January, and in May of that year was appointed head of the brand-new Science and Technology Agency, both under the cabinet of Ichirō Hatoyama
Ichiro Hatoyama
was a Japanese politician and the 52nd, 53rd and 54th Prime Minister of Japan, serving terms from December 10, 1954 through March 19, 1955, from then to November 22, 1955, and from then through December 23, 1956.-Personal life:...
with a strong support behind the scenes from CIA. He is later called "the father of nuclear power".
Further reading
- Uhlan, Edward and Dana L. Thomas. Shoriki: Miracle Man of Japan. A Biography. New York: Exposition Press, 1957. E-book at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
.