Suharto (English spelling)

Indonesian soldier and politician. Born in Yogyakarta, Central Java. He completed basic military training in the Imperial Dutch East Indies Army in 1940, and joined the Volunteer Army (PETA) under Japanese military rule in 1943. In 1945, he joined the National Security Forces (the precursor to the Indonesian National Army) of independent Indonesia. In 1956, he was promoted to acting commander of the Diponegoro Division in Central Java, and in 1963 to commander of the Strategic Reserve Army. During the September 30th Incident in 1965, he took temporary command of the army in place of injured Defense Minister Nasution, dealing a devastating blow to the Communist Party and bringing the situation under control. In March 1966, he received de facto full powers from Sukarno, and became acting president in 1967 and the second president in 1968. He promoted economic development through cooperation with advanced countries such as Japan, the United States, and Europe, while maintaining order through military power, and called the country the "New Regime," emphasizing its departure from the radical nationalistic Sukarno regime. Although he lacked charisma, he was known for his solid leadership, and had a strong voice within ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

In the 1990s, concerns about his health and rumors of illegal wealth accumulation by his family members began to raise concerns about the system. In 1997, in order to overcome the economic crisis that surfaced as a result of the spread of Thailand's financial and fiscal collapse, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) offered him $33 million in aid, which required him to abolish monopolies in which his family had connections and to withdraw from large, unproductive projects. In March 1998, he was re-elected for the seventh time, but he was forced to resign as president on May 21, entrusting his future to his close aide, Vice President Habibie, due to intense national discontent sparked by opposition to a large increase in oil prices due to austerity measures. Suharto's resignation cast a large shadow over Indonesia after his resignation, with demonstrations by anti-Suharto forces, mainly Islamic forces and students, calling for an investigation into his 30-year history of illegal wealth accumulation.

[Yoneji Kuroyanagi]

"Suharto's Indonesia: The Dilemma of Tradition and Modernization" by Hemish MacDonald, translated by Masuko Yoshitaka and Kitamura Masayuki (1982, Simul Publishing Co.)" ▽ "Politics and Economy of Modern Indonesia: Thirty Years of the Suharto Regime" edited by Annaka Akio and Sanpei Norio (1995, Institute of Developing Economies)" ▽ "The Suharto Family's Accumulation" by Murai Yoshitaka, Saeki Natsuko, Kubo Yasuyuki and Mase Tomoko (1999, Commons)" ▽ "The Collapse of the Suharto 'Empire'" by Yoshimura Fuminari (1999, Mekon)" ▽ "Development and Labor: Indonesia under the Suharto Regime" by Miyamoto Kensuke (2001, Nippon Hyoronsha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

インドネシアの軍人、政治家。中部ジャワのジョクジャカルタ出身。1940年帝国蘭印(らんいん)軍での基礎軍事訓練、1943年日本軍政下の義勇軍（ペタ）を経て、1945年独立インドネシアの国民保安隊（国軍の前身）入隊。1956年中部ジャワでディポネゴロ師団長代行、1963年陸軍戦略予備軍司令官に昇進。1965年の「九月三〇日事件」に際し負傷した国防相ナスティオンにかわり陸軍を臨時指揮、共産党に壊滅的打撃を与え事態を収拾した。1966年3月スカルノから事実上の全権移譲を受け、1967年大統領代行、1968年第2代大統領に就任。軍の力に立脚した秩序維持と日米欧など先進諸国との協調による経済開発を推進、急進民族主義的スカルノ体制との決別を強調して「新体制」と称した。カリスマ性には欠けるものの堅実な指導性には定評があり、ASEAN(アセアン)（東南アジア諸国連合）内でも強大な発言力をもった。

　1990年代に入ると、健康不安説や家族がらみの不正蓄財のうわさと相まって体制不安が懸念され始めた。1997年、タイの金融・財政破綻(はたん)が波及する形で表面化した経済危機を乗り切るため国際通貨基金（IMF）から3300万ドルに及ぶ支援を受ける条件として、一族郎党が関与する独占企業の廃止や、非生産的な大プロジェクトの撤回を迫られた。1998年3月、7選を果たしたが、緊縮財政を理由とする石油の大幅値上げ反対に端を発する激しい国民的不満を触発し、5月21日、側近の副大統領ハビビに後事を託して大統領を辞することを余儀なくされた。イスラム勢力や学生を中心とする反スハルト勢力により、30年に及ぶ不正蓄財の調査を求めるデモが繰り広げられるなど、スハルトは退陣後のインドネシアにも大きな影を落とした。

［黒柳米司］

『ヘミッシュ・マクドナルド著、増子義孝・北村正之訳『スハルトのインドネシア――伝統と近代化のジレンマ』（1982・サイマル出版会）』▽『安中章夫・三平則夫編『現代インドネシアの政治と経済――スハルト政権の30年』（1995・アジア経済研究所）』▽『村井吉敬・佐伯奈津子・久保康之・間瀬朋子著『スハルト・ファミリーの蓄財』（1999・コモンズ）』▽『吉村文成著『スハルト「帝国」の崩壊』（1999・めこん）』▽『宮本謙介著『開発と労働――スハルト体制期のインドネシア』（2001・日本評論社）』

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