Nobumasa Suetsugu

A military man and politician from the Taisho to Showa eras. Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture on June 30, 1880. After graduating from the 27th class of the Naval Academy and the 7th class of first-class students at the Naval War College, he served in various positions, including commander of the 1st Submarine Squadron and director of the Education Bureau. In 1928 (Showa 3), he became vice chief of the Naval General Staff, and along with Chief of the Naval General Staff Kato Hiroharu, he opposed the London Naval Treaty of 1930, forming the so-called Fleet Faction. He later served as commander-in-chief of the Second Fleet and commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, before being promoted to admiral in 1934. He also served as commander-in-chief of the Yokosuka Naval District and military councilor, and after retiring from the military, he became a cabinet councilor in 1937 and Minister of the Interior in the first Konoe Fumimaro cabinet. In 1940, he became chairman of the Central Cooperation Council of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association. He was an authority on submarine tactics and was said to be a cunning schemer. He was popular among right-wingers and served as chairman of the East Asia Construction Federation. He died on December 29, 1944.

[Junichiro Kizaka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

大正～昭和時代の軍人、政治家。明治13年6月30日山口県に生まれる。海軍兵学校第27期、海軍大学校甲種学生第7期卒業後、第一潜水戦隊司令官、教育局長などを歴任。1928年（昭和3）海軍軍令部次長となり、1930年のロンドン海軍軍縮条約には加藤寛治(かとうひろはる)軍令部長らと反対し、いわゆる艦隊派を形成した。その後第二艦隊司令長官、連合艦隊司令長官を経て1934年大将に昇進、さらに横須賀鎮守府(よこすかちんじゅふ)司令長官、軍事参議官を歴任して退役後の1937年内閣参議、第一次近衛文麿(このえふみまろ)内閣の内相となり、1940年には大政翼賛会中央協力会議議長に就任した。潜水艦戦術の権威であり、機略に長じた策謀家といわれ、東亜建設連盟会長を務めるなど右翼の間で人気があった。昭和19年12月29日没。

［木坂順一郎］

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