Takegoshi Yosaburo

A historical commentator, journalist, and politician of the Meiji and Taisho periods. Born on October 4, 1865, in Honjo, Musashi Province (Saitama Prefecture), as the second son of Kiyono Senzaburo, originally from Kakizaki, Echigo Province. He used the pen names Sansa, Kikoku Sensei, and Muri. In 1880 (Meiji 13), he left his hometown of Kakizaki and moved to Tokyo, where he studied under Nakamura Keiu and Fukuzawa Yukichi. In 1883, he was adopted by his uncle Takekoshi Tohei, and while still enrolled at Keio Gijuku, he joined the Jiji Shimpo newspaper company, but left the company the following year in 1884. He was active thereafter in publications such as Kokumin no Tomo, Osaka Koron, and Kokumin Shimbun. The first volume of "New History of Japan," published by Minyusha in 1891 (the second volume was published the following year in 1892, and the third volume is yet to be published), was an original historical treatise that attempted to grasp the Meiji Restoration in its entirety, and his "2,500-Year History" (1896) became a best-seller at the time. He also participated in the compilation of the eight-volume "History of the Japanese Economy" (1919-1920). During this time, he gained the good fortune of being acquainted with Mutsu Munemitsu and Saionji Kinmochi, and founded the magazine "Sekai no Nippon" (Japan of the World), and participated in the "Niroku Shinpo," "Yomiuri Shimbun," "Nihon," and "Tokyo Mainichi Shimbun," and in 1926 (Taisho 15) he became a guest writer for the "Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun," where he wrote liberal articles. He was elected to the House of Representatives for five terms starting in 1902 (Meiji 35), became a member of the Imperially appointed House of Peers in 1923, and a Privy Councilor in 1940 (Showa 15). He died on January 12, 1950, at his home in Tamagawa Yoga, Tokyo.

[Eiichi Matsushima]

"2500 Years of History, 5 volumes (Kodansha Academic Library)" ▽ "New History of Japan, Volumes 1 and 2 (Iwanami Bunko)" ▽ "Complete Collection of Meiji Literature 77 & 78, Collection of Essays on Meiji History (1) & (2)" edited by Matsushima Eiichi (1965, 1976, Chikuma Shobo)" ▽ "Record of a Meiji Liberalist - The Life of the Lone Fighter, Takekoshi Yosaburo" by Kosaka Morihiko (2002, Chuokoron-Shinsha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治・大正期の史論家、新聞記者、政治家。慶応(けいおう)1年10月4日、武蔵(むさし)国（埼玉県）本庄(ほんじょう)で、越後(えちご)国柿崎(かきざき)出身の清野(きよの)仙三郎の次男として生まれる。三叉(さんさ)、鬼谷(きこく)先生、夢履(むり)の号を用いた。1880年（明治13）に郷里の柿崎から上京、中村敬宇(なかむらけいう)、福沢諭吉に学び、1883年には伯父竹越藤平の養子となり、慶応義塾在塾のまま時事新報社に入ったが翌1884年退社、以後、『国民之友』『大阪公論』『国民新聞』などで活躍。1891年に民友社から刊行した『新日本史』上巻（中巻は翌1892年、下巻は未刊）は、明治維新の総括的な把握を試みた独自の史論であり、『二千五百年史』（1896）は当時のベストセラーとなった。さらに『日本経済史』全8巻（1919～1920）の編纂(へんさん)にも従事した。この間、陸奥宗光(むつむねみつ)、西園寺公望(さいおんじきんもち)の知遇を得て雑誌『世界之日本』を創刊し、『二六新報』『読売新聞』『日本』『東京毎夕新聞』に参加、1926年（大正15）には『東京日日新聞』客員となり自由主義的筆陣を張った。また、1902年（明治35）以来衆議院議員に5期当選し、1923年に勅選貴族院議員、1940年（昭和15）に枢密顧問官となった。昭和25年1月12日、東京玉川用賀の自宅で死去。

［松島榮一］

『『二千五百年史』全5冊（講談社学術文庫）』▽『『新日本史』上下（岩波文庫）』▽『松島榮一編『明治文学全集77・78　明治史論集(1)・(2)』（1965、1976・筑摩書房）』▽『高坂盛彦著『ある明治リベラリストの記録――孤高の戦闘者・竹越與三郎伝』（2002・中央公論新社）』

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