Tsugumichi Saigo

Japanese: 西郷従道 - さいごう・つぐみち

Year of death: July 18, 1902 (Meiji 35)
Year of birth: Tempo 14.5.4 (1843.6.1)
A politician and soldier who was active in the Meiji period. He was the younger brother of Saigo Takamori by 15 years. His childhood name was Ryusuke. At the age of 13, he became a tea boy for the Shimazu family, and at the age of 17, he returned to secular life and changed his name to Shingo. He lost his parents at the age of 9, and grew up with his older brother Takamori as a parent figure, and was greatly influenced not only in terms of career but also in terms of philosophy. He fought in various places during the Boshin War, but there is no record of any special achievements. However, it was probably due to his brother's influence that he was selected along with Yamagata Aritomo, and was able to observe the military system in France for over a year from June 1869 (Meiji 2). Immediately after returning to Japan, he became the Vice-Minister of War and the Army Officer, and was appointed as the Major General of War in July 1861, and as the Junior Assistant Minister of War in December. His unusual career advancement would not have been possible without Takamori's presence. It is also thought that those around him were considerate of Takamori and gave him special treatment. In June, when Takamori lost the debate on the issue of the expedition to Korea and his resignation became definitive, Tsunemichi was promoted to Commander-in-Chief of Taiwan Affairs, then Commissioner for Investigation of the Treatment of Aboriginal People in Taiwan, and Commander-in-Chief of Taiwan's Aboriginal Territories Affairs, and led the Taiwan Expedition from April to December 1824. During this time, he was promoted to Major General in March 1825, and Lieutenant General in April 1826, following Yamagata, and it seems that Tsunemichi's place was taken by Takamori. The Taiwan Expedition was a prescription for resolving dissatisfaction among the samurai, but the Seinan War, which had been feared for 1830, broke out, and Tsunemichi served as acting Minister of the Army and did not move from Tokyo. He was strongly criticized for parting ways with Takamori, and in order to avoid this, he became Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Italy, but he did not take up his post. He was appointed Councilor and Minister of Education in May 1826, and from December to February 1828, he was also Minister of the Army, and from October 1829 to December 1830, he was also Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, and stood in a key position in the Army and government alongside Yamagata. He was probably praised by those around him who took advantage of his vague and difficult to grasp personality, similar to Takamori's, and his unrestrained nature. With the inauguration of the cabinet system in 1885, he became the first Minister of the Navy, and joined the Navy ranks thereafter. With the Sino-French War taking place outside, he introduced a French-style coastal defense system centered on the naval base, and worked to strengthen preparations for war against China. He was replaced by Minister of the Interior and Privy Councilor in the first Matsukata Masayoshi cabinet, but he served as Minister of the Navy until 1931, making a great contribution to unifying the Navy Department, and in the same year became the first Fleet Admiral. <References> Saigo Tsunehiro, "Marshal Saigo Tsunemichi-den"

(Tanaka Hiromi)

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

Japanese:

没年：明治35.7.18(1902)
生年：天保14.5.4(1843.6.1)
明治期に活躍した政治家,軍人。西郷隆盛の15歳年下の弟。幼名を竜助。13歳で島津家の茶坊主,17歳で還俗して慎吾と改名。9歳のとき両親と死別し,兄隆盛を親代わりとして成長,出世だけでなく思想面でも多大の影響を受けた。戊辰戦争では各地に転戦したが,特別の功績は記録されていない。だが山県有朋と共に選ばれ,明治2(1869)年6月から1年余,主にフランスの兵制を視察できたのも兄の威光の故であろう。帰国直後に兵部権大丞,陸軍掛となり,4年7月兵部大丞,12月兵部少輔に任ぜられるという異例の出世は隆盛の存在なしではありえない。周囲が隆盛に気を使い,特別扱いしたとも考えられる。6月隆盛が征韓論論争に敗れ,その下野が決定的になると,逆に従道は台湾事務都督,次に台湾生蕃処理取調委任,台湾蕃地事務都督となり,7年4月から12月まで行われた台湾出兵を指揮した。この間5年3月陸軍少将,7年4月陸軍中将と山県に次ぐ昇進であり,隆盛の分が従道にまわったようにみえる。台湾出兵は,士族の不満解消のための処方箋であったが,10年恐れていた西南戦争が勃発,従道は陸軍卿代理を務め東京を動かなかった。隆盛と袂をわかったことに対する非難強く,これを避けるためイタリア特命全権大使になったが,結局赴任しなかった。11年5月参議兼文部卿,12月から13年2月まで兼陸軍卿,14年10月から18年12月まで兼農商務卿を歴任,山県に並ぶ陸軍,政府の要石の位置に立った。隆盛に似た茫洋として把握し難い性格,融通無碍の性格を奇貨とした周辺によって持ち上げられたのだろう。18年内閣制の発足とともに初の海軍大臣となり,以後海軍籍に入る。外に清仏戦争あり,鎮守府を中心としたフランス式海岸防備体制を導入,清国に対する戦備の充実に努めた。途中第1次松方正義内閣の内務大臣,枢密顧問官に代わることもあったが,31年まで海軍大臣として海軍部内をまとめるうえで功績をあげ,同年初の海軍元帥となった。<参考文献>西郷従宏『元帥西郷従道伝』

(田中宏巳)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

<<: Supreme law - saikōhōki (English spelling)

>>: Takamori Saigo