Kan'ichiro Kamei

Politician. Born into a count family in Shimane Prefecture, he entered Tokyo Imperial University in 1913 (Taisho 2) and became a consultant for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while still a student. After graduating in 1917, he was posted overseas as a diplomat, engaged in intelligence activities until 1926. In 1926, he became head of the International Department of the Social Democratic Party, and from 1928 (Showa 3), he held a seat in the House of Representatives as a proletarian party member for four consecutive terms. During this time, he approached a fascist group of army staff officers along with Aso Hisashi and others, and participated in their information and propaganda activities, as well as being a promoter of the New Party/New System movement from the proletarian party side after the full-scale war between Japan and China. He was appointed head of the East Asia Department when the Imperial Rule Assistance Association was launched in October 1940, and resigned the following year when the association underwent its first reorganization. After the war he was banned from public office, but he maintained ties with G2 (Second Section of the General Staff) within the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers and was also involved in the right-wing social democratic labor movement.

[Shiro Akazawa]

"Japanese Modern Historical Materials Research Association, ed., 'Transcript of Kamei Kan'ichiro's Conversations' (1970)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

政治家。島根県の伯爵家の出身で、1913年（大正2）東京帝国大学に入学、在学中に外務省嘱託となる。1917年卒業後、1926年まで外交官として外地に赴任し情報活動を行う。1926年社会民衆党国際部長に就任し、1928年（昭和3）以降、連続4期無産政党議員として衆議院の議席を占めた。その間、麻生久(あそうひさし)などとともに陸軍の幕僚ファッショのグループに接近し、その情報宣伝活動にも参画するとともに、日中全面戦争後の新党・新体制運動の無産政党側からの推進者となる。1940年10月大政翼賛会発足とともに東亜部長に就任、翌年の翼賛会第1回改組で辞任する。敗戦後公職追放されるが、連合国最高司令部中のG2（参謀第二部）とも関係をもち、社会民主主義右派の労働運動にも関与した。

［赤澤史朗］

『日本近代史料研究会編・刊『亀井貫一郎氏談話速記録』（1970）』

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