Kazuo Furushima

Journalist and politician. Born in Hyogo Prefecture. Studied under Sugiura Shigetake, he began as a reporter for the Nippon newspaper in 1889 (Meiji 22), before moving on to the Kyushu Nippo and Yorozu Choho newspapers. During this time, he participated in the hardline foreign policy movement in the wake of treaty revision, and supported the Chinese revolutionary movement led by Sun Yat-sen and others. It was during this time that he became acquainted with Inukai Tsuyoshi. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1911 (Meiji 44), and served six consecutive terms thereafter. He belonged to the Constitutional National Party and the Reform Club, and worked with Inukai in the universal suffrage movement. In 1932 (Showa 7), he was appointed as a member of the House of Peers by Imperial appointment. After Japan's defeat in the war, when Ichiro Hatoyama, the head of the Liberal Party, was banned from holding public office, he played a part in pushing Yoshida Shigeru out of the running, and later became an advisor to the Liberal Party, providing support to Yoshida from behind the scenes.

[Ara Takashi]

"Memoirs of an Elderly Politician" by Furushima Kazuo (1951, Chuokoron-Shinsha)" ▽ "Furushima Kazuo's Thoughts on the Furushima Kazuo" (1951, Mainichi Shimbun)" ▽ "Furushima Kazuo Memoirs" edited by Washio Yoshinao (1951, Sangensha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

新聞記者、政治家。兵庫県生まれ。杉浦重剛(すぎうらしげたけ)の教えを受け、1889年（明治22）『日本』の記者を皮切りに『九州日報』『萬朝報(よろずちょうほう)』へと転じた。この間、条約改正に際して対外硬運動に参加し、また、孫文(そんぶん)らの中国革命運動を支援。そのなかで犬養毅(いぬかいつよし)と知り合った。1911年（明治44）衆議院初当選、以来連続6期。立憲国民党、革新倶楽部(くらぶ)に所属し、普選運動には犬養とともに行動した。1932年（昭和7）勅選貴族院議員。敗戦後、自由党総裁鳩山一郎(はとやまいちろう)が公職追放を受けると、吉田茂かつぎ出しに一役買い、のちに自由党顧問に納まって吉田を陰から援助した。

［荒　敬］

『古島一雄著『一老政治家の回想』（1951・中央公論社）』▽『古島一雄述『古島一雄清談』（1951・毎日新聞社）』▽『鷲尾義直編『古島一雄回顧録』（1951・三元社）』

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