Takao Saito

A politician of the Taisho and Showa periods. Born on August 18, 1870 in Murohani Village, Izushi County, Hyogo Prefecture. After graduating from Tokyo Senmon Gakko (the predecessor to Waseda University), he became a lawyer and traveled to the United States to study public law and political science at the Yale University Graduate School. In May 1912 (Meiji 45), he was first elected as a member of the House of Representatives from his hometown, belonging to the Nationalist Party, and thereafter belonged to the Rikken Doshikai, Kenseikai, and Rikken Minseito parties. He is famous for his speech on January 24, 1935 (Showa 10), criticizing the army pamphlet and excessive emphasis on military spending, his speech on May 7 the following year calling for a military purge in response to the February 26 Incident, and his anti-military speech on February 2, 1940 regarding the resolution of the Sino-Japanese War. His final speech finally angered the military, leading to his punishment and expulsion from the Diet. After World War II, he founded the Japan Progressive Party, and later belonged to the Democratic Party and the Democratic Liberal Party, during which he served as a Minister of State in the first Yoshida Shigeru Cabinet and the Katayama Tetsu Cabinet. Unusually for a party man, he had no loyal allies and was a staunch liberal, and his anti-military speeches during the war always won the secret support of the people. He died on October 7, 1949.

[Nomaru Sato]

"Saito Takao" edited by Kawami Yoshikazu (1955, Saito Takao Sensei Memorial Association)" ▽ "Saito Takao Political Essays" edited by Kawami Yoshikazu (1961, Saito Takao Sensei Memorial Association)" ▽ "Saito Takao Diary, volumes 1 and 2, edited by Ito Takashi (2009, Chuokoron-Shinsha)" ▽ "Saito Takao Biography - The Lone Patriot, by Matsumoto Kenichi (Iwanami Gendai Bunko)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

大正・昭和期の政治家。明治3年8月18日、兵庫県出石(いずし)郡室埴(むろはに)村に生まれる。東京専門学校（早稲田(わせだ)大学の前身）卒業後弁護士となり、渡米してエール大学大学院で公法・政治学を学んだ。1912年（明治45）5月、郷里より国民党所属衆議院議員に初当選し、以後、立憲同志会、憲政会、立憲民政党に属した。1935年（昭和10）1月24日の陸軍パンフレット・軍事費偏重批判演説、翌年5月7日の二・二六事件に対する粛軍演説、1940年2月2日の日中戦争解決に関する反軍演説は著名で、最後の演説ではついに軍部を怒らせて、懲罰に付され、議員を除名された。第二次世界大戦後は、日本進歩党を結成し、さらに民主党、民主自由党に属し、この間、第一次吉田茂内閣と片山哲(かたやまてつ)内閣の国務大臣となった。政党人としては珍しく親分子分をもたず、硬骨な自由主義者で、戦時下の反軍演説はつねに民衆のひそかな支持を得た。昭和24年10月7日没。

［佐藤能丸］

『川見禎一編『斎藤隆夫』（1955・斎藤隆夫先生顕彰会）』▽『川見禎一編『斎藤隆夫政治論集』（1961・斎藤隆夫先生顕彰会）』▽『伊藤隆編『斎藤隆夫日記』上下（2009・中央公論新社）』▽『松本健一著『評伝斎藤隆夫――孤高のパトリオット』（岩波現代文庫）』

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