Toranomon Incident
Encyclopedia
The was an assassination attempt on the then Prince Regent Hirohito
of Japan
on 27 December 1923 by communist agitator Daisuke Namba.
The incident took place at the Toranomon
intersection between the Akasaka Palace and the Diet of Japan
in downtown Tokyo
, Japan. Crown Prince
and Regent Hirohito
was on his way to the opening of the 48th Session of the Imperial Diet on 27 December 1923, when the young son of a member of Diet, Daisuke Namba, fired a small pistol at his carriage. The bullet shattered a window on the carriage, injuring a chamberlain, but Hirohito was unharmed. Namba's attempt was motivated partly by his leftist ideology, and a strong desire to avenge the death of Shūsui Kōtoku, who had been executed for his alleged role in the High Treason Incident
of 1910.
Although Namba claimed that he was rational (a view agreed upon in the court records), he was proclaimed insane to the public, sentenced to death
on 13 November 1924, and executed two days later.
Prime Minister
Yamamoto Gonnohyōe
took responsibility for the lapse in security and resigned along with his cabinet and a number of other high officials. He was replaced by the even more conservative Kiyoura Keigo
and a cabinet made up entirely of members of the House of Peers not associated with any political party
. The Toranomon Incident was cited later by the government as one of the justifications for the Peace Preservation Law
of 1925.
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
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...
on 27 December 1923 by communist agitator Daisuke Namba.
The incident took place at the Toranomon
Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo
is a business district of Minato, Tokyo. Literally meaning "Tiger's Gate," Toranomon was the name of the southernmost gate of Edo Castle. It is home to the Hotel Okura Tokyo....
intersection between the Akasaka Palace and the Diet of Japan
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...
in downtown 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...
, Japan. Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
and Regent Hirohito
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
was on his way to the opening of the 48th Session of the Imperial Diet on 27 December 1923, when the young son of a member of Diet, Daisuke Namba, fired a small pistol at his carriage. The bullet shattered a window on the carriage, injuring a chamberlain, but Hirohito was unharmed. Namba's attempt was motivated partly by his leftist ideology, and a strong desire to avenge the death of Shūsui Kōtoku, who had been executed for his alleged role in the High Treason Incident
High Treason Incident
The , also known as the , was a socialist-anarchist plot to assassinate the Japanese Emperor Meiji in 1910, leading to a mass arrest of leftists, and the execution of 12 alleged conspirators in 1911....
of 1910.
Although Namba claimed that he was rational (a view agreed upon in the court records), he was proclaimed insane to the public, sentenced to death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
on 13 November 1924, and executed two days later.
Prime Minister
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...
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:...
took responsibility for the lapse in security and resigned along with his cabinet and a number of other high officials. He was replaced by the even more conservative Kiyoura Keigo
Kiyoura Keigo
was a Japanese politician. He was the 23rd Prime Minister of Japan from 7 January 1924 to 11 June 1924, during the period which historians have called the “Taisho Democracy”.- Early life :...
and a cabinet made up entirely of members of the House of Peers not associated with any 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...
. The Toranomon Incident was cited later by the government as one of the justifications for the Peace Preservation Law
Peace Preservation Law
The Public Security Preservation Laws were a series of laws enacted during the Empire of Japan. Collectively, the laws were designed to suppress political dissent.-the Safety Preservation Law of 1894:...
of 1925.