Robert Whiting (born October 24, 1942) is an American author and journalist who has written several books on…Robert Whiting (born October 24, 1942) is an American author and journalist who has written several books on contemporary Japanese culture—which include topics such as baseball and American gangsters operating in Japan. He was born in New Jersey, grew up in Eureka, California and graduated from Sophia University in Tokyo. He has lived largely in Japan since arriving there in 1962; he divides his time between homes in Tokyo and California.
Toyohiro Akiyama (秋山 豊寛, Akiyama Toyohiro; 22 July 1942 – 26 August 2026) was a Japanese television journalist and…Toyohiro Akiyama (秋山 豊寛, Akiyama Toyohiro; 22 July 1942 – 26 August 2026) was a Japanese television journalist and academic who was a professor at Kyoto University of Art and Design. In December 1990, he spent seven days aboard the Mir space station. He became the first person of Japanese nationality to fly in space, and his space mission was the second spaceflight to be commercially sponsored and funded. Akiyama was also the first civilian to fly aboard a commercial space flight and the first journalist to report from outer space.
Keizō Takagi (高木 桂蔵, Takagi Keizō; born August 1941) is a Japanese writer, journalist, educator, cultural…Keizō Takagi (高木 桂蔵, Takagi Keizō; born August 1941) is a Japanese writer, journalist, educator, cultural anthropologist, folklorist, and sociologist whose research focuses on expatriate Chinese communities. As Professor of International Relations at Shizuoka Prefectural University, Takagi regularly appeared on TV programs such as Shizuoka Daiichi Television, and served as Assistant Scoutmaster of Shizuoka Scout Group 42.
Takashi Tachibana (立花 隆, Tachibana Takashi; 28 May 1940 – 30 April 2021, Nagasaki) was a Japanese journalist. He was…Takashi Tachibana (立花 隆, Tachibana Takashi; 28 May 1940 – 30 April 2021, Nagasaki) was a Japanese journalist. He was known for his articles on Japanese social problems.
Tarō Kimura (木村 太郎, Kimura Tarō; born 12 February 1938 in Berkeley, California, USA) is a Japanese veteran journalist…Tarō Kimura (木村 太郎, Kimura Tarō; born 12 February 1938 in Berkeley, California, USA) is a Japanese veteran journalist who provides commentary and analysis with Yūko Andō on Japan's Fuji Television Super News. He is also the managing director of Shonan Beach FM, a community radio station.
Masayoshi Mitani (見谷 昌禧, born January 5, 1938) is a retired Japanese alpine skier. He competed in the downhill, slalom…Masayoshi Mitani (見谷 昌禧, born January 5, 1938) is a retired Japanese alpine skier. He competed in the downhill, slalom and giant slalom events at the 1960 Winter Olympics with the best result of 33rd place in the giant slalom. While preparing for the 1964 Winter Olympics, Mitani suffered a serious head injury, which left him bedridden for 3 months and forced him to retire from competitions. After graduating from Waseda University, Mitani joined Tokyu Corporation and was transferred to the affiliated Hakuba Tourism Development. He then returned to Waseda University to work as a skiing coach and researcher. In 1969 he became head coach of the national alpine skiing team, and prepared it to the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo. After the Olympics, he worked at a ski school and provided commentaries and reports on major international skiing competitions.
Tetsuya Chikushi (Japanese: 筑紫 哲也, Chikushi Tetsuya; 23 June 1935 – 7 November 2008) was a Japanese journalist, TV…Tetsuya Chikushi (Japanese: 筑紫 哲也, Chikushi Tetsuya; 23 June 1935 – 7 November 2008) was a Japanese journalist, TV presenter and news anchor.
Ruiko Yoshida (吉田 ルイ子, Yoshida Ruiko; 10 July 1938 – 31 May 2024) was a Japanese photojournalist. Her work focused on…Ruiko Yoshida (吉田 ルイ子, Yoshida Ruiko; 10 July 1938 – 31 May 2024) was a Japanese photojournalist. Her work focused on scenes of discrimination around the world.
Soichiro Tahara (田原 総一朗, Tahara Sōichirō; born 15 April 1934) is a Japanese political journalist, best known for…Soichiro Tahara (田原 総一朗, Tahara Sōichirō; born 15 April 1934) is a Japanese political journalist, best known for hosting TV Asahi's Sunday Project program.
Yayori Matsui (松井やより Matsui Yayori) (April 12, 1934 – December 27, 2002) was a Japanese journalist and women's rights…Yayori Matsui (松井やより Matsui Yayori) (April 12, 1934 – December 27, 2002) was a Japanese journalist and women's rights activist noted for her work to raise awareness of sex slaves and sex tourism in post-war Asia. In 1961 she began work as a journalist for the newspaper Asahi Shimbun, retiring in 1994 to work as a full-time social activist, founding numerous women's organizations and writing on gender inequality in Japan and on sex crimes committed by the Japanese Imperial Army, namely against the comfort women of the Second World War. Her work culminated in the 2000 Tokyo Women's War Crimes Tribunal, a tribunal held to gain some form of justice for the victims of Japanese military sexual slavery.
Akiko Dōmoto (堂本 暁子, Dōmoto Akiko; born July 31, 1932) is a Japanese politician. She was the governor of Chiba…Akiko Dōmoto (堂本 暁子, Dōmoto Akiko; born July 31, 1932) is a Japanese politician. She was the governor of Chiba Prefecture in Japan from 2001 to 2009. A graduate of Tokyo Woman's Christian University and Seisen Junior and Senior High School, she was the first female governor of Chiba and the third in Japanese history. She was first elected in 2001. In September 2001 she canceled a controversial plan to reclaim the Sanbanze wetlands as landfill. Historian Jeff Kingston called this act "a major victory for activists."
Katsuichi Honda (Japanese: 本多 勝一, Hepburn: Honda Katsuichi; born January 28, 1932) is a Japanese journalist and author…Katsuichi Honda (Japanese: 本多 勝一, Hepburn: Honda Katsuichi; born January 28, 1932) is a Japanese journalist and author most famous for his writing on the Nanjing Massacre. During the 1970s he wrote a series of articles on the atrocities committed by Imperial Japanese soldiers during World War II called "Chūgoku no Tabi" (中国の旅, "Travels in China"). The series first appeared in the Asahi Shimbun. Honda also worked as a war correspondent in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, an experience which, according to some historians, contributed to stoking his interest in Japanese wartime history.
Hiroto Muraoka (村岡 博人, Muraoka Hiroto; September 19, 1931 – March 13, 2017) was a Japanese footballer. He played for…Hiroto Muraoka (村岡 博人, Muraoka Hiroto; September 19, 1931 – March 13, 2017) was a Japanese footballer. He played for the Japan national team.
Toshiyuki Kajiyama (梶山 季之, Kajiyama Toshiyuki; 2 January 1930 – 11 May 1975) was a Japanese novelist, essayist and…Toshiyuki Kajiyama (梶山 季之, Kajiyama Toshiyuki; 2 January 1930 – 11 May 1975) was a Japanese novelist, essayist and journalist active during the Shōwa period of Japan.
Akira Suzuki (鈴木 明, Suzuki Akira; 28 October 1929 – 22 July 2003) was the pen name of Japanese non-fiction writer and…Akira Suzuki (鈴木 明, Suzuki Akira; 28 October 1929 – 22 July 2003) was the pen name of Japanese non-fiction writer and freelance journalist Akio Imai.
Asako Kishi (岸 朝子, Kishi Asako; November 22, 1923 – September 22, 2015) was a Japanese culinary critic, journalist, and…Asako Kishi (岸 朝子, Kishi Asako; November 22, 1923 – September 22, 2015) was a Japanese culinary critic, journalist, and publisher, best known for her role as a guest judge on Iron Chef.
Hideo Den (田 英夫 Den Hideo, June 9, 1923 - November 13, 2009) was a Japanese news presenter, politician, and for 34 of…Hideo Den (田 英夫 Den Hideo, June 9, 1923 - November 13, 2009) was a Japanese news presenter, politician, and for 34 of the years between 1971 and 2007, a member of the House of Councillors for the Social Democratic Party. From 1978 to 1985, he was also the president of the Socialist Democratic Federation. In 1947 he joined the Kyodo News company as a reporter. In 1962 he became a news presenter for TBS 's television news program. He was the grandson of Den Kenjiro.
Chang Chun-ha (Korean: 장준하; August 27, 1918 in Uiju County – August 17, 1975 in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province) was a…Chang Chun-ha (Korean: 장준하; August 27, 1918 in Uiju County – August 17, 1975 in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province) was a Korean independence and democracy activist who later became a journalist in South Korea.
Shin Seok-cho (1909–1975) was a Korean poet and journalist. He was born in Seocheon, Chungcheongnam-do, in 1909.…Shin Seok-cho (1909–1975) was a Korean poet and journalist. He was born in Seocheon, Chungcheongnam-do, in 1909. Involved with socialism, he joined Korean Artist Proletarian Federation (KAPF) but subsequently withdrew. In 1935, he met Yi Yuk-sa and became a close acquaintance. He published poems such as "Bara dance", "Snakes", and "Pacho". He also served as the president of the Society of Korean Poets, and worked as a writer for the Hankook Ilbo.
Shourai Kimura (木村 象雷, Kimura Shōrai; 9 February 1908 – 1986) was a Japanese swimmer and journalist. He competed in the…Shourai Kimura (木村 象雷, Kimura Shōrai; 9 February 1908 – 1986) was a Japanese swimmer and journalist. He competed in the men's 100 metre backstroke event at the 1928 Summer Olympics. He later became a sports journalist.
Kamejiro Senaga (Japanese: 瀬長 亀次郎, Hepburn: Senaga Kamejirō; 10 June 1907 – 5 October 2001) was a politician…Kamejiro Senaga (Japanese: 瀬長 亀次郎, Hepburn: Senaga Kamejirō; 10 June 1907 – 5 October 2001) was a politician, journalist, also Mayor of Naha city. Senaga was an outspoken critic of American oppression on Okinawa and was imprisoned by American military authorities for sheltering Communists. He was a mayor in Naha and a prominent political figure during the American occupation of Okinawa. However, he was removed when military authorities arbitrarily changed Okinawan election ordinances. Senaga was a strong advocate for the reversion of Okinawa, which was initially opposed by the American military. Later, he served as a representative of the Japanese Communist Party in the Diet, in the House of Representatives, before retiring from politics in 1990.
Kinue Hitomi (人見 絹枝, Hitomi Kinue; January 1, 1907 – August 2, 1931) was a Japanese track and field athlete. She was…Kinue Hitomi (人見 絹枝, Hitomi Kinue; January 1, 1907 – August 2, 1931) was a Japanese track and field athlete. She was the world record holder in several events in the 1920s – 1930s. Hitomi was also the first Japanese and Asian woman to win an Olympic medal. She was also the first woman to represent Japan at the Olympics.
Matsuo Kishi (岸松雄, Kishi Matsuo) (18 September 1906 – 17 August 1985) was a Japanese film critic, director…Matsuo Kishi (岸松雄, Kishi Matsuo) (18 September 1906 – 17 August 1985) was a Japanese film critic, director, screenwriter, producer, and biographer. His real name was Aji Shūichirō. Born in Tokyo, he became interested in film from his days in high school and, continuing to Keio University, began submitting reviews to magazines such as Kinema Junpo and editing theater programs. Starting a dōjinshi Eiga kaihō with Tsuneo Hazumi, Kishi became involved in the left-wing film movement of the late 1920s, eventually becoming a member of the Proletarian Film League of Japan (Prokino). He soon left due to dissatisfaction with such a political approach to film. In 1932, he became the first critic to champion the work of Sadao Yamanaka, and later was a strong supporter of the films of Hiroshi Shimizu. In 1937, he gave up being a film critic and became an assistant director at Toho, where he directed one film— Kazaguruma, in 1938— before concentrating on screenwriting. After the war, he mainly worked at Shintoho, serving as producer on a few films, and wrote scripts for such directors as Shimizu and Mikio Naruse. All along he continued writing on film, especially penning numerous biographical accounts of the many people he knew in the Japanese film world.
Sakuta Takefushi (17 April 1906 – 12 August 1988) was a Japanese cross-country skier. He competed in the men's 18…Sakuta Takefushi (17 April 1906 – 12 August 1988) was a Japanese cross-country skier. He competed in the men's 18 kilometre event at the 1928 Winter Olympics.
Tamotsu Murayama (村山 有, Murayama Tamotsu; December 24, 1905 Seattle, Washington - December 31, 1968) was a Japanese…Tamotsu Murayama (村山 有, Murayama Tamotsu; December 24, 1905 Seattle, Washington - December 31, 1968) was a Japanese journalist, lecturer at Waseda University, and Director of the Boy Scouts of Japan. He also worked with Olave Baden-Powell and Peter Baden-Powell, and contributed greatly to the revival of the Boy Scout movement in Japan after World War II. After the end of World War II, he gathered members who had been forbidden from meeting, and frequently held Scout gatherings, laying the foundation for the revival of the Boy Scouts of Japan. On January 3, 1948, under the occupation, when flying the flag of Japan was not yet allowed, he held a "Hinomaru March" by the Boy Scouts with the Hinomaru for the first time since before the war. In 1949, the Tokyo Scout Council was reorganized and he assumed office as President (Renmei-chō). From 12 April to 20 June 1950, Murayama was an instructor during the first seminar on leadership held with Michiharu Mishima and staff of the Boy Scouts of America to train Japanese Scout leaders. A postage stamp collector, he established the Tokyo Stamp Association, a philatelic society, and served as the first president. In addition, as the Chairman of the Japan Scouts on Stamps Society (NSOSS), Vice Chairman of the Scouts on Stamps Society International (SOSSI), he contributed to the issuance of Japanese commemorative stamps on the "All Japan Boy Scout Conference" (1949), and the "50th Anniversary of the Founding of Scouting" (1957). On December 31, 1968, he died of myocardial infarction on board ship to Hong Kong to attend the World Scout Conference. A Scout funeral was held on January 12, 1969, in Tokyo Tsukiji Hongan-ji. Murayama posthumously received the Order of the Sacred Treasure 5th class, Gold and Silver Rays.
Shigeru Hori (保利 茂, Hori Shigeru; 20 December 1901 – 4 March 1979) was a prominent Japanese politician who served in…Shigeru Hori (保利 茂, Hori Shigeru; 20 December 1901 – 4 March 1979) was a prominent Japanese politician who served in various cabinet positions, including Chief Cabinet Secretary, and was also Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan. He was also the founder of the Liberal Party, and later served in senior positions in the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan.
Hotsumi Ozaki (尾崎 秀実, Ozaki Hotsumi; April 29, 1901 – November 7, 1944) was a Japanese journalist working for the Asahi…Hotsumi Ozaki (尾崎 秀実, Ozaki Hotsumi; April 29, 1901 – November 7, 1944) was a Japanese journalist working for the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, communist, Soviet intelligence agent, and advisor to Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe. The only Japanese person to be hanged for treason (under the provisions of the Peace Preservation Law) by the Imperial Japanese government during World War II, Ozaki is well known as an informant of the Soviet agent Richard Sorge.
Sōichi Ōya (大宅 壮一, Ōya Sōichi; 13 September 1900 – 22 November 1970) was a Japanese journalist noted for his research…Sōichi Ōya (大宅 壮一, Ōya Sōichi; 13 September 1900 – 22 November 1970) was a Japanese journalist noted for his research and commentaries on popular culture.
Shigeharu Matsumoto (松本 重治, Matsumoto Shigeharu; 1899–1989) was an internationalist. He was founder of the…Shigeharu Matsumoto (松本 重治, Matsumoto Shigeharu; 1899–1989) was an internationalist. He was founder of the International House of Japan and a pioneer in building constructive relations between Japanese and others through shared knowledge of their diverse histories, needs and national aspirations. He was an influential journalist and an active participant in the internationalization of Japan in the latter part of the twentieth century. He was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1980.
Saburō Matsukata (松方 三郎, Matsukata Saburō; August 1, 1899 – September 15, 1973) of Japan, a journalist, businessman and…Saburō Matsukata (松方 三郎, Matsukata Saburō; August 1, 1899 – September 15, 1973) of Japan, a journalist, businessman and mountaineer, served on the World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement and was the sixth President of the Boy Scouts of Japan, contributing to the success of the 13th World Scout Jamboree held August 2 to 10, 1971 on the western side of Mount Fuji.
Na Hye-sŏk (Korean: 나혜석, April 28, 1896 – December 10, 1948) was a Korean feminist, poet, writer, painter, educator…Na Hye-sŏk (Korean: 나혜석, April 28, 1896 – December 10, 1948) was a Korean feminist, poet, writer, painter, educator, and journalist. Her art name was Jeongwol (정월; 晶月). She was a pioneering Korean feminist writer and painter. She was the first female professional painter and the first feminist writer in Korea. She created some of the earliest Western-style paintings in Korea, and published feminist novels and short stories. She became well known as a feminist because of her criticism of the marital institution in the early 20th century.
Kim Chun-yon (Korean: 김준연; Hanja: 金俊淵; 1895–1971) was a South Korean politician and journalist who served as the fourth…Kim Chun-yon (Korean: 김준연; Hanja: 金俊淵; 1895–1971) was a South Korean politician and journalist who served as the fourth minister of justice for South Korea from November 23, 1950, to May 6, 1951.
Jeong Hyeon-mo 정현모(鄭顯模), October 10, 1894 – January 1, 1965) was a Korean politician, journalist, businessman, and…Jeong Hyeon-mo 정현모(鄭顯模), October 10, 1894 – January 1, 1965) was a Korean politician, journalist, businessman, and independence activist.
Ch'oe Namsŏn (Korean: 최남선; April 26, 1890 – October 10, 1957), also known by the Japanese pronunciation of his name Sai…Ch'oe Namsŏn (Korean: 최남선; April 26, 1890 – October 10, 1957), also known by the Japanese pronunciation of his name Sai Nanzen, was a Korean historian, political activist, poet, and publisher who was best remembered as a leading member of the Korean independence movement.
Kiyoshi Kiyosawa (清沢 洌 Kiyosawa Kiyoshi, 8 February 1890 – 21 May 1945) was a Japanese journalist and writer who is…Kiyoshi Kiyosawa (清沢 洌 Kiyosawa Kiyoshi, 8 February 1890 – 21 May 1945) was a Japanese journalist and writer who is most well-known for his wartime diary that was written between 1942 and 1945, but was first published under the name of A Diary of Darkness (暗黒日記) after the war, in 1948, where it caused a sensation. It was first published in the English-speaking world as A Diary of Darkness: The Wartime Diary of Kiyosawa Kiyoshi in 1999. Kiyosawa had a liberal perspective which supported free speech, and as a result most of his diary is dedicated to criticism of the militaristic atmosphere of the Japanese public, the decisions of the military government during the war, and increasing bureaucracy. He was friends with the fellow liberal journalist Tanzan Ishibashi, who appears several times in his diary entries and who would later become the prime minister of Japan.
Hiroshi Kikuchi (菊池 寛, Kikuchi Hiroshi; December 26, 1888 – March 6, 1948), also known as Kan Kikuchi (which uses the…Hiroshi Kikuchi (菊池 寛, Kikuchi Hiroshi; December 26, 1888 – March 6, 1948), also known as Kan Kikuchi (which uses the same kanji as his real name), was a Japanese author and publisher. He established the publishing company Bungeishunjū, the monthly magazine of the same name, the Japan Writer's Association and both the Akutagawa and Naoki Prize for popular literature. He came to prominence for the plays Madame Pearl and Father Returns, but his ample support for the Imperial Japanese war effort led to his marginalization in the postwar period. He was also the head of Daiei Motion Picture Company (currently Kadokawa Pictures). He was known to have been an avid player of mahjong.
Ichiko Kamichika (神近 市子, Kamichika Ichiko) (June 6, 1888 – August 1, 1981) was a journalist, feminist, writer…Ichiko Kamichika (神近 市子, Kamichika Ichiko) (June 6, 1888 – August 1, 1981) was a journalist, feminist, writer, translator, and critic. Her birth name was Ichi Kamichika and her pen name was Ei, Yo, or Ou Sakaki (榊 纓). After World War II, Kamichika served in the Japanese House of Representatives as a member of the Japan Socialist Party.
Taketora Ogata (緒方 竹虎, Ogata Taketora; 30 January 1888 – 28 January 1956) was a Japanese journalist, Vice President of…Taketora Ogata (緒方 竹虎, Ogata Taketora; 30 January 1888 – 28 January 1956) was a Japanese journalist, Vice President of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper and later a politician. During the war, he joined the Imperial Rule Assistance Association. After the end of the war, he was purged from public service. Later, he became the Chief Secretary of the Fourth Yoshida Cabinet, Vice President and then President of the Liberal Party of Japan of Japan, but he died before becoming a prime minister.
Seigō Nakano (中野 正剛, Nakano Seigō; 12 February 1886 – 27 October 1943) was a journalist and politician in the Empire of…Seigō Nakano (中野 正剛, Nakano Seigō; 12 February 1886 – 27 October 1943) was a journalist and politician in the Empire of Japan, known primarily for his involvement in far-right politics through his leadership of the Tōhōkai ("Far East Society") party, as well as his opposition to Hideki Tojo and eventual suicide under murky circumstances. Born in the city of Fukuoka, Nakano went on to attend Waseda University for four years, writing a number of articles for the journal Nihon oyobi Nihonjin (Japan and the Japanese) before graduating in July 1909. In these and in other speeches and articles he would produce, he expressed his political views. Nakano maintained an opposition to Japan's establishment throughout his life, criticizing in turn oligarchs such as Katsura Tarō, the Seiyūkai cabinet of Baron Tanaka Giichi, and eventually Hideki Tojo, the last of which ultimately cost him his life. Despite this opposition, however, Nakano would remain committed to working within political parties and the diet, rejecting the violent coups and putsches of young officers. Of great influence on his political thought was the Ōyōmei tradition. Embracing an intuitionist, autonomist view of the individual, Ōyōmei thought emphasized the following of what one identifies as "good" or "just", over wealth and obedience to corrupt authorities. In the case of Saigō Takamori, who Nakano held as a hero far greater than himself, Ōyōmei sanctified his rebellion against the Meiji Government as heroic. In his views of the Meiji Restoration, Nakano viewed the event as the result of popular discontent at the Shogunate's despotic rule. But though the leaders of the restoration had been united in a heroic effort against despotic government, a split occurred in which men valuing liberty such as Saigō were sidelined and instead, the Meiji oligarchy allowed Western ideas to flood into the country, eroding Japan's unique spirit and creating a system of oligarchic-bureaucratic rule which was opposed to popular will. During the 1st Constitutional Protection Movement, he relentlessly attacked the Katsura cabinet and the hanbatsu system of clique government as a writer at the Asahi Shimbun, earning him both a reputation as a liberal and the displeasure of the paper, leading him to launch the Tohojironsha paper in 1916. After election to the diet in 1920, Nakano would join a generation of younger, reformist politicians, eventually aligning with Inukai Tsuyoshi and the Kakushin Kurabu (Reform Club) in 1922, but later believed no serious change could be made outside of one of the two major parties and transfer to the Kenseikai in 1924. Following the Manchurian Incident, Nakano admired the plotters, contrasting their decisive action with the Tanaka cabinet's wavering between hardline policy and capitulation to the United States on China issues. To form a strong government to deal with the climate of crisis in the early 1930s, Nakano first attempted to organize a union of the Seiyukai and Minseito, then organizing the Kokumin Domei (Citizens’ Alliance) political party with Adachi Kenzo when he failed. Due to disagreements between the two personalities, however, Nakano split to form the Tōhōkai in 1936. Eventually, he would join the Taisei Yokusankai, but left in late 1940 in protest over the restraints imposed on it by conservative forces, primarily the zaibatsu and party politicians. He would go on to become a vicious opponent of Tōjō Hideki and his cabinet before committing ritual suicide while under government pressure in 1943.
Ōsugi Sakae (Japanese: 大杉 栄; 17 January 1885 – 16 September 1923) was a Japanese anarchist writer and social critic of…Ōsugi Sakae (Japanese: 大杉 栄; 17 January 1885 – 16 September 1923) was a Japanese anarchist writer and social critic of the Taishō period. His thought centered on individualism, direct action, and the "expansion of the ego" as philosophical underpinnings for social and personal revolution. Born into a military family, Ōsugi was expelled from military school for insubordination and turned to language studies and radical politics in Tokyo. After a series of prison terms between 1906 and 1910, which he considered his "real education," he emerged as a leading voice in the Japanese anarchist movement. Through his journals, such as Kindai shisō (Modern Thought) and Rōdō undō (The Labor Movement), he introduced the works of European thinkers like Peter Kropotkin, Georges Sorel, and Henri Bergson to Japan, synthesizing their ideas into his own philosophy. His advocacy of free love and his controversial personal life, which included simultaneous relationships with three women, led to a violent attack against him in 1916 and his temporary ostracism from the socialist movement. Ōsugi became a key figure in the Japanese labor movement, advocating for syndicalism and workers' autonomy while strongly criticizing both state authority and the emerging Bolshevism. In the chaotic aftermath of the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, Ōsugi, his partner and fellow anarchist Itō Noe, and his six-year-old nephew were arrested by a squad of military police led by Captain Amakasu Masahiko. They were beaten and strangled, their bodies disposed of in a well. Their murders, known as the Amakasu Incident, became a symbol of state violence against radicals during the period.
Tanzan Ishibashi (石橋 湛山, Ishibashi Tanzan; 25 September 1884 – 25 April 1973) was a Japanese journalist and politician…Tanzan Ishibashi (石橋 湛山, Ishibashi Tanzan; 25 September 1884 – 25 April 1973) was a Japanese journalist and politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1956 to 1957. Born in Tokyo, Ishibashi became a journalist after graduating from Waseda University in 1907. In 1911, he joined the Tōyō Keizai Shimpo ("Eastern Economic Journal") and served as its editor-in-chief from 1925 to 1946 and president from 1941. In the 1930s, Ishibashi was one of the few critics of Japanese imperialism, and became well known as a liberal economist. From 1946 to 1947, Ishibashi served as finance minister under Shigeru Yoshida. He was elected into the National Diet in 1947, but was purged for openly opposing the U.S. occupation policies; he returned to the Diet in 1952, after which he allied with Ichiro Hatoyama and served as his minister of international trade and industry. Ishibashi succeeded Hatoyama as prime minister in 1956, simultaneously serving as director of the Defense Agency, but resigned soon after due to ill health.
Hasegawa Manjirō (長谷川 萬次郎, né Yamamoto, 30 November 1875 – 11 November 1969), known by his pen name Hasegawa Nyozekan…Hasegawa Manjirō (長谷川 萬次郎, né Yamamoto, 30 November 1875 – 11 November 1969), known by his pen name Hasegawa Nyozekan (長谷川 如是閑), was a Japanese social critic and journalist during the Taishō and Shōwa eras. He was one of the most important and widely read supporters of liberalism and democracy in inter-war Japan.
Majikina Ankō (真境名 安興; 20 May 1875 - 28 December 1933) was a Japanese scholar who specialized in the history of…Majikina Ankō (真境名 安興; 20 May 1875 - 28 December 1933) was a Japanese scholar who specialized in the history of Okinawa. Alongside Iha Fuyū and Higashionna Kanjun, he was considered one of the pioneers of modern Okinawan studies.
