Renpei Kondo

Japanese: 近藤廉平 - こんどう・れんぺい

Year of death: February 9, 1921
Year of birth: November 25, 1848 (December 20, 1848)
A businessman from the Meiji and Taisho periods. Born in Nishio Village, Asue County, Awa Province (Kamojima Town, Tokushima Prefecture). The second son of doctor Kondo Gensen and Wakiko. His wife was the younger sister of Toyokawa Ryohei. He studied English at Daigaku Nanko. In 1872, he joined Mitsubishi Shokai. After working at Yoshioka Copper Mine and Takashima Coal Mine, he became manager of the Yokohama branch in 1881, and played an active role in competing with Kyodo Transport. In October 1883, he joined Nippon Yusen Kaisha when it was established, and in 1889 he became a director, in 1901 he became managing director, in 1902 he became vice president, and in November 1903 he became the third president after Yoshikawa Taijiro died of illness. He served as president of the company until his death, and helped it grow into one of the world's largest shipping companies. In particular, after the Sino-Japanese War, with government subsidies he opened three major ocean liners to Europe, America, and Australia, and improved coastal routes to China and other places, establishing a transportation foundation for Japan's overseas expansion. He became a baron in 1909. In 1918, he was appointed as a member of the House of Peers by the Emperor. He was also a member of the plenipotentiary committee at the Paris Peace Conference. <References> Kazuo Suehiro, "The Life and Writings of Kondo Renpei"; "The Centennial History of Nippon Yusen Kaisha" edited by the Japan Business History Institute

(Kokaze Hidemasa)

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

Japanese:

没年：大正10.2.9(1921)
生年：嘉永1.11.25(1848.12.20)
明治大正期の実業家。阿波国麻植郡西尾村(徳島県鴨島町)に生まれる。医師近藤玄泉と脇子の次男。妻は豊川良平の妹。大学南校で英語を学ぶ。明治5(1872)年,三菱商会に入る。吉岡銅山,高島炭鉱を経て16年に横浜支社支配人となり,共同運輸との競争に活躍した。18年10月,日本郵船の成立とともに入社,22年理事,26年に専務取締役,27年に副社長,28年11月,吉川泰二郎の病没により第3代社長となる。以後没するまで同社の社長として活躍し,同社を世界最大級の海運企業に成長させた。特に日清戦争後には,政府補助を受けて,ヨーロッパ,アメリカ,オーストラリアの3大遠洋定期航路を開設したほか,中国などの近海航路の充実を図り,日本の海外進出の運輸的基盤を確立した。44年男爵。大正7(1918)年勅選貴族院議員。パリ講和会議全権随員。<参考文献>末広一雄『近藤廉平伝並遺稿』,日本経営史研究所編『日本郵船株式会社百年史』

(小風秀雅)

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