Omiya Chobei - Omiya Chobei

Japanese: 近江屋長兵衛 - おうみや・ちょうべえ

Year of death: 10th July 1821 (7th August 1821)
Year of birth: 1750
A drug merchant in the mid-Edo period. Founder of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company in Doshomachi, Osaka. Born as the second son of Takeda Tokubei in Yakuimura, Hirosegun, Yamato Province (Yakui, Kawaicho, Nara Prefecture). His childhood name was Chozaburo, and he later began his apprenticeship at Omiya Kasuke, a drug broker in Doshomachi. He was later allowed to live separately, and in 1781 he was given a branch of the family business, opening an independent business under the name Omiya. The head of the Omiya family was from Hino in Omi. The second Chobei was born in 1789 as the second son of the first, and expanded the business during the economic boom of the Bunka and Bunsei periods, diversifying into finance and shipping. The fourth Chobei was the man who brought the Meiji Restoration, and modern management got underway by importing Western medicines in addition to Japanese and Chinese medicines, and opening a pharmaceutical factory. In 1869, he changed his surname to Takeda and took the name Takeda Chobei. With the help of his younger brother Takeda Jiro (graduated from Tokyo Imperial University), the 5th Chobei (Kazuyoshi) succeeded in domestically producing pharmaceuticals during World War I, building the foundation for the company to become one of the "Big Three of Doshomachi." In 1925, the company was reorganized as Takeda Chobei Shoten Co., Ltd., and with the launch of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company in 1943, Kazuyoshi's eldest son, Eitaro, took on the name of the 6th Chobei and became president.

(Yotaro Sakudo)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：文政4.7.10(1821.8.7)
生年：寛延3(1750)
江戸中期の薬種商人。大阪道修町の武田薬品工業の創始者。大和国広瀬郡薬井村(奈良県河合町薬井)で竹田徳兵衛の次男として生まれた。幼名は長三郎といい,のちに道修町の薬種仲買商の近江屋嘉助方に丁稚奉公に出た。その後別宅を許され,天明1(1781)年には暖簾分けを受け,近江屋を屋号として独立開業。主家の近江屋は近江日野の出身であった。2代長兵衛は初代の次男として寛政1(1789)年に生まれ,文化・文政期の景気高揚期に経営を拡大し,金融業務や廻船業務にまで多角化した。4代長兵衛のとき明治維新を迎え,和漢薬のほかに西洋薬の輸入や製薬所の開設など,近代経営を軌道に乗せた。明治2(1869)年に武田と改姓し,武田長兵衛を名乗った。5代長兵衛(和敬)は実弟武田二郎(東京帝大卒)の協力を得て第1次大戦期に医薬品の国産化に成功し,「道修町の御三家」の雄といわれる基礎を築いた。大正14(1925)年株式会社武田長兵衛商店に改組,昭和18(1943)年武田薬品工業の発足とともに和敬の長男鋭太郎が6代長兵衛を襲名,社長に就任した。

(作道洋太郎)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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