YAMAGATA Aritomo
Military officer and statesman. Born in Yamaguchi as the son of a samurai of the Hagi Clan. He studied at the Shoka Sonjuku, and was active as superintendent of the Kiheitai (irregular militia). He fought in the Boshin War. After serving as Hyobu Taifu(senior vice minister of the Army-Navy Ministry), and Rikugun Taifu(senior vice minister of the Army Ministry), he became rikugunkyo(War Minister) in Promoting conscription, he focused on building the military system. He became chief of the General Staff Office in , naimukyo(Home Minister) in , and Minister of Home Affairs in the first Ito cabinet in While suppressing the people's rights movement, he focused on establishing a centralized local government system. In , he formed the first Yamagata cabinet, and successively held important posts including Minister of Justice, Minister of War in the second Ito cabinet, chairman of the Privy Council, and commander of the First Army during the Sino-Japanese War. In , he formed his second cabinet. During the Russo-Japanese War, he commanded operations as chief of the General Staff. As genro (elder statesman), he effectively gathered government officials and
| Prince Yamagata Aritomo | |
|---|---|
| June 14, – February 1, | |
Meiji-period postcard of Yamagata Aritomo | |
| Place of birth | Hagi, Chōshū domain Japan |
| Place of death | Tokyo, Japan |
| Allegiance | Empire of Japan |
| Years of service | – |
| Rank | Field Marshal |
| Commands held | Imperial Japanese Army |
| Battles/wars | Boshin War Satsuma Rebellion First Sino-Japanese War Russo-Japanese War |
| Awards | Order of Merit Order of the Golden Kite (1st class) Order of the Rising Sun (1st class with Paulownia Blossoms, Grand Cordon) Order of the Chrysanthemum. |
| Other work | Prime Minister of Japan |
Prince Aritomo Yamagata (山縣 有朋, Yamagata Aritomo) (June 14, – February 1, ) was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and the third and ninth Prime Minister of Japan. A general and a member of the Japanese oligarchy, he is considered one of the architects of the military and political foundations of Meiji era Japan. Following the death of Ito Hirobumi, Yamagata was unquestionably the most powerful man in Japan from until his death in
Sent to Europe in by the government to research European military systems. Yamagata was strongly influenced by Prussian military and
A Rising Sun: Japan’s Army Modernization
The Empire of Japan cut a bloody swath through the Pacific, committing horrendous atrocities in its desperate bid for resources, prestige, and racial superiority. The Empire’s success would not have been possible without the massive modernization efforts of its military.
Indeed, it was this advancement, undertaken in prelude to the first Sino-Japanese War, that shattered China and paved the way for Japan’s regional supremacy.
To modernize its military, Japan first needed a modern Army. To facilitate this, in Japan passed a universal male conscription act, a move that undermined the samurai class from their lofty position in Japanese society. Despite this, their respected position of nobility remained ingrained in the culture despite the earlier dismantling of the feudal structure of Japan during the Meiji Restoration.
Those same samurai families found the conscription decision unpopular as did many rural families, and many young men utilized a variety of methods to avoid military service, some going as far as hiding in secluded Hokkaido in the north. Ironically, the conscription law, advocated by future general Yamagata Aritomo, bas
Yamagata, Aritomo
, –, Japanese soldier and statesman, chief founder of the modern Japanese army. A samurai of Choshu, he took part in the Meiji restoration. He studied military science in Europe and returned in to head the war ministry. Strongly influenced by Prussian military and political ideas and favoring military expansion abroad and authoritarian government at home, he supported Japanese military control of Taiwan, Korea, and Manchuria. As home minister (–87) he dissolved the new political parties and repressed the agrarian movement. In , while premier, he ruled that only an active military officer could serve as war or navy minister, a rule that gave the military control over any cabinet. From to he opposed Hirobumi Ito, leader of the civilian party, and exercised influence through his protégé, Taro Katsura. As president of the privy council from to , he was the power behind the throne and the leading advocate for higher military appropriations.
See R. F. Hackett, ().
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