Konoe Atsumaro

Japanese: 近衛篤麿 - このえ・あつまろ

Year of death: January 2, 1904 (Meiji 37)
Year of birth: Bunkyu 3.6.26 (1863.8.10)
A politician of the Meiji period. His pen name was Kazan. He was the eldest son of the noble Konoe Tadafusa and the daughter of Shimazu Hisamitsu, Mitsuko. He inherited the family headship in 1873, and was raised under his grandfather Tadahiro. In 1882, he was made a duke. The following year, he went to Austria to study political science and law. He later studied at the University of Bonn and the University of Leipzig, and returned to Japan in 1890 after obtaining his degree and becoming a member of the House of Peers. The following year, his eldest son, Fumimaro, was born, and his wife, Enshi, died. In 1903, he was appointed president of Gakushuin, and the following year, president of the House of Peers, a position he held until his death. The Konoe family was of high rank among the nobles of the Fujiwara clan, and due to his grandfather's achievements during the Meiji Restoration, he was expected from an early stage to be a young talent who would support the politics of the Meiji Emperor with his sovereign power. In the House of Peers, he led the Sanyokai and published the political magazine "Spirit," searching for a new form of politics to replace the rule of clan factions. He formed an alliance with the House of Peers' Discussion Group, advocated a responsible cabinet, and was a force that posed a threat to the government. After the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95), he became interested in Asian issues, and in 1831 he organized the East Asia Common Culture Association, which advocated "preserving China and promoting Korea," and worked to dispatch representatives to Korea and various parts of China, publish local newspapers, establish the Shanghai East Asia Common Culture Association, and advance into the Yangtze River shipping industry. In 1833, he sounded the alarm over the occupation of Manchuria (northeastern China) by Russian troops following the Boxer Rebellion, and presided over the National Alliance Association movement. He advocated the idea of a Japan-China alliance and the idea of Asianism, which stated that "the East is the East for the East." He was a fan of sumo wrestling. He was involved in many projects, including the development of Hokkaido and issues regarding the education system. <References> Konoe Atsumaro Diary Publishing Committee (ed.), "Konoe Atsumaro Diary," 6 volumes

(Masatoshi Sakata)

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

Japanese:

没年：明治37.1.2(1904)
生年：文久3.6.26(1863.8.10)
明治期の政治家。号は霞山。公家近衛忠房と島津久光の娘光子の長男。明治6(1873)年家督相続,祖父忠煕のもとで育つ。17年公爵。翌年政治学,法律学を学ぶためオーストリアに渡る。のちボン大,ライプチヒ大に学び,23年学位を取得して帰国,貴族院議員。翌年長男文麿誕生,夫人衍子は死去。28年学習院長,翌年貴族院議長に任じられ,死去時まで在職。近衛家は藤原氏系公家のなかでも家格が高くまた幕末維新期における祖父の功績もあって,明治天皇の大権による政治を支える若手の人材として早くから期待された。貴族院では三曜会を率い,政治雑誌『精神』を発行するなど,藩閥支配に代わる新しい政治を模索していた。貴族院懇話会系とも提携して責任内閣を唱え政府に脅威を与える勢力をなしていた。日清戦争(1894～95)後はアジア問題に関心を寄せ,31年東亜同文会を組織して「支那保全,朝鮮扶掖」を唱え,朝鮮,中国各地への駐在員派遣,現地新聞の発行,上海東亜同文書院の設立,揚子江海運への進出などに努めた。33年義和団事件を契機とする露国軍隊の満州地方(中国東北部)占拠に警鐘をならし,国民同盟会運動を主宰した。日清提携論や「東洋は東洋人の東洋なり」というアジア主義の思想を主唱。相撲を好んだ。北海道開拓,教育制度問題など関係した事業は多い。<参考文献>近衛篤麿日記刊行会編『近衛篤麿日記』全6巻

(酒田正敏)

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