Kuniaki Koiso - Koisokuniaki

Army general and politician. Born in Utsunomiya City. Graduated from the Army Academy and Army War College. After serving as a member of the General Staff, he became Director of the Military Affairs Bureau in 1930 (Showa 5). He was involved in the March Incident of 1931. He subsequently served as Vice Minister of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Kwantung Army. In 1937 he became a general, and in 1938 he was transferred to the reserves. He became Minister of Takushoku in the Hiranuma Kiichiro Cabinet in 1939 and in the Yonai Mitsumasa Cabinet in 1940. In 1942 he became Governor-General of Korea. In 1944 he succeeded the Tojo Hideki Cabinet, and formed a cabinet in cooperation with Yonai Mitsumasa. He aimed to complete the war, but the war situation did not improve. He also established the Supreme War Leadership Council and tried to unify state affairs and command, but to no avail. He resigned in April 1945. After the war, he was found a Class A war criminal at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1948 (Showa 23). He died of illness while serving his sentence. He also wrote an autobiography, "Katsuyama Koso."

[Yuji Odabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

陸軍大将、政治家。宇都宮市生まれ。陸軍士官学校、陸軍大学校卒業。参謀本部員などを経て、1930年（昭和5）軍務局長となる。1931年の三月事件に関与した。その後、陸軍次官、関東軍参謀長などを歴任。1937年大将となり、1938年予備役に編入される。1939年平沼騏一郎(ひらぬまきいちろう)内閣、1940年米内光政(よないみつまさ)内閣の拓相となる。1942年朝鮮総督。1944年には東条英機(とうじょうひでき)内閣の後を受け、米内光政と協力して組閣。戦争完遂を目ざしたが、戦局は打開されなかった。また最高戦争指導会議を設け国務と統帥の一元化に努めたが成果はあがらなかった。1945年4月総辞職。終戦後、極東国際軍事裁判でA級戦犯となり、1948年（昭和23）終身禁錮の判決を受けた。服役中病没。自伝『葛山鴻爪(かつざんこうそう)』がある。

［小田部雄次］

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