Satoshi Katayama

A right-wing social democratic politician and Christian. Born in Wakayama Prefecture on July 28, 1887. Graduated from the German Law Department of Tokyo Imperial University and became a lawyer. In 1920 (Taisho 9), advocating democratization of law, he opened the Central Legal Consultation Office with Hoshijima Jiro, and served as legal advisor to the Japan General Federation of Labor and the Japan Farmers' Union, among others, and devoted himself to lawsuits by the proletariat. In 1926, he became secretary-general of the Social Democratic Party (chairman Abe Isoo) when it was founded, and in 1930 (Showa 5), ​​he was elected to the House of Representatives from Kanagawa Prefecture in the second general election. In 1932, he participated in the formation of the Social Mass Party, but was expelled from the Social Mass Party in 1940 for opposing the expulsion of Minseito Representative Saito Takao, who had given a speech criticizing the Sino-Japanese War. After World War II, he played a central role in the formation of the Japan Socialist Party, becoming its Secretary-General (the position of Chairman was vacant), and in 1947 (Showa 22) he organized the three-party coalition Katayama Cabinet with the Socialist Party at the helm, and promoted democratization policies under the new Constitution, but the Coal Mines National Administration Bill was watered down due to opposition from the ruling Democratic Party and others, and the issue of the impeachment of Agriculture Minister Hirano Rikizo caused the left wing of the Socialist Party to become the opposition party within the party, leading to his resignation after only eight months. In 1950 he resigned as Chairman of the Socialist Party. After the unification of the left and right Socialist Parties in 1955, he became the party's Chief Advisor, but left the party when the Democratic Socialist Party was formed in 1960 and became Chief Advisor of the Democratic Socialist Party. He had also served as Chairman of the National Alliance for the Protection of the Constitution since 1954, but in 1960 he formed the Democratic Socialist Party-affiliated New National Conference for the Protection of the Constitution and became its Chairman. He ran as a candidate endorsed by the Democratic Socialist Party in the general election of November 1963, but lost, and in 1965 he left the Democratic Socialist Party and retired from frontline politics. He continued to work hard to protect the Constitution and promote friendship between Japan and China. He passed away on May 30, 1978, at the age of 90.

[Akira Miyazaki]

"Retrospect and Prospects" by Tetsu Katayama (1967, Fukumura Publishing)" ▽ "Katayama Cabinet Records Publishing Committee (ed.) "Katayama Cabinet" (1980)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

社会民主主義右派の政治家、クリスチャン。明治20年7月28日和歌山県に生まれる。東京帝国大学独法科を卒業し、弁護士となる。1920年（大正9）法律の民衆化を唱えて星島二郎と中央法律相談所を開設、日本労働総同盟、日本農民組合などの法律顧問も務め、無産者の訴訟に尽力した。1926年社会民衆党（委員長安部磯雄(あべいそお)）の創立とともに書記長に就任、1930年（昭和5）第2回普通選挙で神奈川県から衆議院議員に当選。1932年社会大衆党結成に参加したが、1940年日中戦争批判の演説をした民政党斎藤隆夫(さいとうたかお)代議士の除名に反対し、社大党から除名された。第二次世界大戦後、日本社会党結成の中心となり書記長に就任（委員長は空席）、1947年（昭和22）社会党首班の三党連立片山内閣を組織し、新憲法下で民主化政策を推進したが、炭鉱国家管理法案が与党民主党などの反対で骨抜きになり、平野力三農相罷免問題から社会党左派が党内野党化し、わずか8か月で総辞職した。1950年社会党委員長を辞任。1955年の左右社会党統一後は党最高顧問となったが、1960年民主社会党結成時に脱党し、民社党の最高顧問となった。また1954年以来憲法擁護国民連合議長を務めていたが、1960年には民社党系の憲法擁護新国民会議を結成し、その議長に就任した。1963年11月の総選挙は民社党公認で立候補したが落選、1965年に民社党を離脱し、政界の一線から退いた。その後も護憲と日中友好に力を尽くしていた。昭和53年5月30日死去、90歳。

［宮﨑　章］

『片山哲著『回顧と展望』（1967・福村出版）』▽『片山内閣記録刊行会編・刊『片山内閣』（1980）』

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