Katsura Taro Cabinet - Katsura Taro Cabinet

Japanese: 桂太郎内閣 - かつらたろうないかく

The first to third cabinets were formed with Katsura Taro as the head.

[Yamamoto Shiro]

First

(June 2, 1901 - January 7, 1906, Meiji 34 - 39)
This cabinet was formed after the resignation of the Fourth Ito Hirobumi cabinet and the failure of Inoue Kaoru to form a cabinet. It was the first so-called second-stream cabinet that was not made up of Meiji Restoration heroes. Many of the cabinet members were bureaucrats affiliated with Yamagata Aritomo, who was considered to be at the vice minister level at the time, and the cabinet was criticized as the "Oyama Cabinet" or the "Vice Minister Cabinet," but it completed the Russo-Japanese War and set a record for the longest term before World War II. Its biggest issues were confrontation with Russia, which was plotting to occupy Manchuria (northeastern China), and for the time being, dealing with the Rikken Seiyukai party, which was increasingly anti-clan bureaucratic. The 16th Diet, held from 1901 to 1902 (Meiji 34 to 35), was made by compromise, and in January 1902, the Anglo-Japanese Alliance was established. The government sought to expand the navy and sought to raise land taxes to secure financial resources, which led to a clash with the Seiyukai Party, leading to the dissolution of the 17th Diet, but ultimately compromised with the Seiyukai Party and led to the end of the 18th Diet. At the time, negotiations between Japan and Russia were difficult, and the 19th Diet was dissolved at the end of 1903 due to the Cabinet Impeachment Incident of House of Representatives Speaker Kono Hironaka. The following year, the Russo-Japanese War broke out in February 1904, and the 20th and 21st Diets were military-state Diets, winning the support of all political parties and completing the Russo-Japanese War. Towards the end of the war, realizing the difficulty of continuing the war given Japan's national strength, the government appealed to the US President to mediate a peace settlement, and in September 1905, the Treaty of Portsmouth was concluded, laying the foundations for the domination of Korea and the advance into Manchuria. Around this time, the Katsura-Taft Agreement in July promised not to invade the Philippines, the Anglo-Japanese Alliance was revised in August, Korea was made a protectorate in November with the tacit approval of the United States and Britain in the Second Japan-Korea Treaty, and the Sino-Japanese Treaty in December forced China to recognize the Treaty of Portsmouth. Katsura also negotiated the transfer of power several times with Hara Takashi of the Seiyukai party towards the end of the war, but after seeing riots in Tokyo dissatisfied with the peace treaty on September 5 (the Hibiya Riots), he resigned en masse on December 21 after the end of the war effort. The successor cabinet was organized by Saionji Kinmochi.

[Yamamoto Shiro]

Second

(July 14, 1908 - August 30, 1911, Meiji 41-44)
The Cabinet was established after the collapse of the First Saionji Cabinet due to its failed financial policy. Prime Minister Katsura, who also served as Minister of Finance, attempted to rebuild the government's finances but was unsuccessful. In addition, in light of the instability of the ruling system and changes in ideology after the Russo-Japanese War, he issued the Boshin Imperial Rescript in October 1908, and then launched a local reform movement. He also advocated treating all political parties equally (in reality, he was trying to embrace the reform faction of the Constitutional Party and confront the Rikken Seiyukai). However, the High Treason Incident occurred in May 1910, and the following February 1911, the issue of legitimacy of the Northern and Southern Courts became a political issue. Meanwhile, after failing to embrace the Constitutional Party (which merged with the Yuushinkai and others in March 1910 to form the Rikken Kokuminto), the Cabinet compromised with the Rikken Seiyukai through "mutual support" in January 1911 and made it through the Diet. In foreign affairs, he promoted imperialist policies such as revising the Russo-Japanese Treaty in July 1910 and annexing Korea in August, and in social policies he established the Imperial Gift Foundation Saiseikai in May 1911 and passed the Factory Law in March. However, public opinion was against this cabinet, and calls for resignation arose within the cabinet, which ended in its unanimous resignation in August. The successor cabinet was again organized by Saionji Kinmochi.

[Yamamoto Shiro]

Third

(1912.12.21~1913.2.20 Taisho 1~2)
After the collapse of the Second Saionji Cabinet, the Genro (elder statesmen) faced difficulties in finding a successor and finally recommended Minister of the Interior, Katsura Taro, as Prime Minister (disturbing the distinction between the Imperial Court and the Imperial Palace), and an imperial edict was issued to that effect, as well as for Saito Makoto to remain in his position as Minister of the Navy. This gave rise to the movement to protect constitutional government, and Katsura tried to oppose it by forming a political party (later the Rikken Doshikai), but this incurred the wrath of those affiliated with Yamagata, and the movement to protect constitutional government spread throughout the country, leading to a riot in Tokyo on February 10, 1913 (Taisho 2), leading to his en masse resignation the following day. The successor cabinet was organized by Yamamoto Gonbei.

[Yamamoto Shiro]

"A Basic Study of the Taisho Political Crisis" by Yamamoto Shiro (1970, Ochanomizu Shobo) " "A Study of the Early Seiyukai Party" by Yamamoto Shiro (1975, Seibundo Publishing) " "The Taisho Political Crisis" by Sakano Junji (1982, Minerva Shobo)

Taro Katsura
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Taro Katsura

Katsura Taro Cabinet (First)
* (Rinkan) means temporary concurrent position, (kan) means concurrent position. When there are multiple names for one position, it indicates the successors in turn, and when there are the same name, it indicates that the position has become full-time. When Komura Jutaro was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Katsura Taro served twice as temporary concurrent position .

Katsura Taro Cabinet (First)

Katsura Taro Cabinet (Second)
※ (Rinkan) means temporary concurrent position, (kan) means concurrent position. When there are multiple people with the same title, the successors are shown in order. The Minister of Agriculture and Commerce was temporarily held by Eitaro Komatsubara .

Katsura Taro Cabinet (Second)

Katsura Taro Cabinet (Third)
※ (Kan) indicates concurrent positions. If there are multiple people with the same job title, the successors are indicated in order .

Katsura Taro Cabinet (Third)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

桂太郎を首班として組織された第一次～三次の内閣。

［山本四郎］

第一次

（1901.6.2～1906.1.7　明治34～39）
第四次伊藤博文(いとうひろぶみ)内閣が総辞職し、井上馨(いのうえかおる)が組閣に失敗した後を受けて成立。維新の元勲でない、いわゆる第二流の最初の内閣。閣僚は当時次官級と目された山県有朋(やまがたありとも)系官僚が多く、「小山県内閣」「次官内閣」と冷評されたが、日露戦争を完遂して、第二次世界大戦前では最長期の記録をつくった。最大の課題は、満州（中国東北）占領を策するロシアとの対決、当面は反藩閥官僚色を強める立憲政友会への対応であった。1901～02年（明治34～35）の第16議会は妥協で切り抜け、1902年1月日英同盟を成立させ、海軍の拡張を図って財源を地租増徴に求め政友会と対立、第17議会を解散、結局、政友会と妥協して第18議会を切り抜けた。当時、日露交渉は難航し、また1903年末の第19議会は河野広中(こうのひろなか)衆議院議長の内閣弾劾の奉答文事件で解散。翌1904年2月日露戦争勃発(ぼっぱつ)、第20、第21議会は軍国議会で各政党政派の支持を得、日露戦争を完遂した。戦争末期、日本の国力よりみて戦争継続の困難を察し、アメリカ大統領に講和斡旋(あっせん)を働きかけ、1905年9月ポーツマス条約を締結、朝鮮支配と満州進出の基礎を築いた。この前後、7月桂‐タフト協定によりフィリピンを侵略せぬことを約し、8月日英同盟を改訂し、米英の黙認下に11月第二次日韓協約により韓国を保護国化し、12月の日清(にっしん)協約で清国にポーツマス条約を承認させた。また戦争末期に桂は政友会の原敬(はらたかし)と数次の政権授受交渉を行い、9月5日講和を不満とする東京の騒擾(そうじょう)（日比谷焼打事件）をみて、戦争処理終了後12月21日総辞職した。後継内閣は西園寺公望(さいおんじきんもち)により組織された。

［山本四郎］

第二次

（1908.7.14～1911.8.30　明治41～44）
第一次西園寺内閣が財政策に失敗して倒れた後を受け成立。桂首相は蔵相を兼任し、財政再建にあたったが成功せず、また日露戦争後の支配体制の動揺、思想の変化にかんがみ、1908年10月戊申詔書(ぼしんしょうしょ)発布、ついで地方改良運動をおこした。また政党には一視同仁主義を唱えた（実質は憲政本党改革派抱き込みと立憲政友会との対決）。しかし1910年5月大逆事件が起こり、翌1911年2月南北朝正閏(せいじゅん)問題が政治問題化し、一方、憲政本党（1910年3月又新会(ゆうしんかい)などと合同して立憲国民党を結成）の抱き込みに失敗すると、1911年1月「情意投合」により立憲政友会と妥協、議会を切り抜けた。外交では1910年7月日露協約改訂、8月韓国併合など帝国主義政策を進め、社会政策では1911年5月恩賜財団済生会設立、3月工場法を成立させた。しかし人心はこの内閣に反対し、閣内でも総辞職論がおこり8月総辞職した。後継内閣はふたたび西園寺公望によって組織された。

［山本四郎］

第三次

（1912.12.21～1913.2.20　大正1～2）
第二次西園寺内閣が倒れたあと、後継難から元老はついに内大臣桂太郎を首相に推挙（宮中、府中の別を乱す）、そのため詔勅が出され、また斎藤実(さいとうまこと)海相留任にも詔勅が出された。ここに憲政擁護運動がおこり、桂は政党（後の立憲同志会）を結成して対抗しようとしたが、山県系の反感を買い、また憲政擁護運動が全国に波及し、東京では1913年（大正2）2月10日暴動化したため、翌日総辞職した。後継内閣は山本権兵衛(やまもとごんべえ)によって組織された。

［山本四郎］

『山本四郎著『大正政変の基礎的研究』（1970・御茶の水書房）』▽『山本四郎著『初期政友会の研究』（1975・清文堂出版）』▽『坂野潤治著『大正政変』（1982・ミネルヴァ書房）』