Nakamura Yoshikoto
Encyclopedia
was a government bureaucrat, entrepreneur, and politician in late Meiji period
Japan
. He served as second Chairman of the South Manchurian Railway Company, Mayor of Tokyo
, Railroad Minister, and was a member of the House of Peers
. He was also known as Nakamura Zekō.
, in what is now part of Saeki-ku, Hiroshima
; however, as his father was a retainer of the Chōshū Domain, for political reasons Nakamura frequently claimed to be a native of Yamaguchi prefecture
. He attended the First Tokyo Middle School (now Hibiya High School
), where one of his classmates and close friends was the future author Natsume Sōseki
. After graduating from the Law School of Tokyo Imperial University in 1893, Nakamura obtained a posting as a bureaucrat at the Ministry of Finance
, and was sent to Akita Prefecture
. He was later sent to work at the Japanese Governor-General of Taiwan
, where he met his lifelong mentor, Gotō Shimpei
.
After the Treaty of Portsmouth
ended the Russo-Japanese War
of 1904-1905, the Empire of Japan
gained the former Russian territories of the Liaodong Peninsula in southern Manchuria
, as well as the entire South Manchurian Railway. A new company was established to manage the railway and its extraterritorial properties (i.e. the South Manchurian Railway Zone), and Gotō Shimpei was recruited to head the new company due to his administrative experience and success in Taiwan
. Despite Nakamura’s young age Gotō hand-picked him to be his assistant. In 1908, when Gotō was selected to become Minister of Communications, Nakamura succeeded him as Chairman of the South Manchurian Railway Company ("Mantetsu").
While Chairman, Nakamura continued to support Gotō politically as he went on to become Home Minister
under the Yamamoto Gonnohyōe
administration, and a leading figure of the Rikken Seiyūkai
political party
. Nakamura also maintained correspondence with his school friend Natsume Soseki, and invited him to tour Korea
and Manchuria at Mantetsu expense in 1909 in exchange for publicity. An account of his travels was serialized by Asahi Newspaper as .
In 1917, Nakamura was appointed to the House of Peers of the Imperial Diet
, and subsequently became Railway Minister in the Terauchi cabinet. Nakamura became Mayor of Tokyo in 1924 and made strenuous efforts towards the rapid reconstruction of the Japanese capital city still devastated by the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. He was forced out of office in 1926.
Nakamura died of a peptic ulcer
in 1927 at the age of 61.
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...
. He served as second Chairman of the South Manchurian Railway Company, Mayor of 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...
, Railroad Minister, and was a 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 ....
. He was also known as Nakamura Zekō.
Biography
Nakamura was born in Aki ProvinceAki Province
or Geishū was a province in the Chūgoku Region of western Honshū, comprising the western part of what is today Hiroshima Prefecture.When Emperor Shōmu ordered two official temples for each province , two temples were founded in Aki Province...
, in what is now part of Saeki-ku, Hiroshima
Saeki-ku, Hiroshima
is one of the eight wards of the city of Hiroshima, Japan.The Hiroshima Branch of the Japan Mint is located here.The ward added the former town of Yuki from Saeki District on April 25, 2005....
; however, as his father was a retainer of the Chōshū Domain, for political reasons Nakamura frequently claimed to be a native of Yamaguchi prefecture
Yamaguchi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture. The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.- History :...
. He attended the First Tokyo Middle School (now Hibiya High School
Hibiya High School
is a Japanese high school founded in 1878 as the . It was well known in the 1950s and 1960s for the large proportion of graduates who gained admission to the prestigious University of Tokyo; though it suffered a decline in the 1970s, as of 2005 it was once again being referred to as the "best...
), where one of his classmates and close friends was the future author Natsume Sōseki
Natsume Soseki
, born ', is widely considered to be the foremost Japanese novelist of the Meiji period . He is best known for his novels Kokoro, Botchan, I Am a Cat and his unfinished work Light and Darkness. He was also a scholar of British literature and composer of haiku, Chinese-style poetry, and fairy tales...
. After graduating from the Law School of Tokyo Imperial University in 1893, Nakamura obtained a posting as a bureaucrat at the Ministry of Finance
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...
, and was sent to Akita Prefecture
Akita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....
. He was later sent to work at the Japanese Governor-General of Taiwan
Governor-General of Taiwan
The position of Governor-General of Taiwan existed when Taiwan and the Pescadores were part of the Empire of Japan, from 1895 to 1945.The Japanese Governors-General were members of the Diet, civilian officials, Japanese nobles or generals...
, where he met his lifelong mentor, Gotō Shimpei
Goto Shimpei
Count was a Japanese statesman. He served as the head of civilian affairs of Taiwan under Japanese rule, the first director of the South Manchuria Railway, the seventh mayor of Tokyo, the first Chief Scout of Japan, the first director of NHK, the third principal of Takushoku University, and the...
.
After the Treaty of Portsmouth
Treaty of Portsmouth
The Treaty of Portsmouth formally ended the 1904-05 Russo-Japanese War. It was signed on September 5, 1905 after negotiations at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine in the USA.-Negotiations:...
ended 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...
of 1904-1905, the Empire of Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
gained the former Russian territories of the Liaodong Peninsula in southern Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
, as well as the entire South Manchurian Railway. A new company was established to manage the railway and its extraterritorial properties (i.e. the South Manchurian Railway Zone), and Gotō Shimpei was recruited to head the new company due to his administrative experience and success in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. Despite Nakamura’s young age Gotō hand-picked him to be his assistant. In 1908, when Gotō was selected to become Minister of Communications, Nakamura succeeded him as Chairman of the South Manchurian Railway Company ("Mantetsu").
While Chairman, Nakamura continued to support Gotō politically as he went on to become 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...
under the Yamamoto Gonnohyōe
Yamamoto Gonnohyoe
, also called Gonnohyōe, was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and the 16th and 22nd Prime Minister of Japan.-Early life:...
administration, and a leading figure of the Rikken Seiyūkai
Rikken Seiyukai
The was one of the main political parties in the pre-war Empire of Japan. It was also known simply as the ‘Seiyūkai'Founded on September 15, 1900 by Itō Hirobumi , the Seiyūkai was a pro-government alliance of bureaucrats and former members of the Kenseitō. The Seiyūkai was the most powerful...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
. Nakamura also maintained correspondence with his school friend Natsume Soseki, and invited him to tour Korea
Korea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
and Manchuria at Mantetsu expense in 1909 in exchange for publicity. An account of his travels was serialized by Asahi Newspaper as .
In 1917, Nakamura was appointed to the House of Peers of the Imperial Diet
Diet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
, and subsequently became Railway Minister in the Terauchi cabinet. Nakamura became Mayor of Tokyo in 1924 and made strenuous efforts towards the rapid reconstruction of the Japanese capital city still devastated by the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. He was forced out of office in 1926.
Nakamura died of a peptic ulcer
Peptic ulcer
A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is the most common ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. It is defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0.5 cm...
in 1927 at the age of 61.