Tachibana Kozaburo

A right-wing agrarian thinker. Born in Ibaraki Prefecture. After graduating from Mito Middle School, he went on to study at the First High School, but was influenced by the works of Tolstoy and Carpenter, and the paintings of Millet, and began to question modern civilization. He dropped out, returned to his hometown, and began life as a farmer. Based on the principle of hard work, he worked hard at farming with his brothers and friends, and by 1921 (Taisho 10), his farm was known as the "Brothers' Village Farm." In 1929 (Showa 4), he founded the Aikyokai Association with Shozo Hayashi and others, and in 1931, he founded the Aikyojuku, a working school for rural youth, and became its principal. Hit by the Showa Agricultural Depression, he became radicalized and aimed to reform the nation, linking up with young officers and Nissho Inoue, and organizing his students into a peasant suicide squad during the May 15 Incident in 1932. Tachibana was sentenced to life imprisonment, but was pardoned and released in 1940. After World War II, he devoted himself to writing.

[Kenzo Kitagawa]

"Tachibana Kozaburo" by Matsuzawa Tetsunari (1972, Sanichi Shobo)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

農本主義的右翼思想家。茨城県生まれ。水戸中学卒業後一高に進むが、トルストイやカーペンターの著作、ミレーの絵などの影響を受け、現代文明社会に疑問を抱き、中退して郷里に帰り百姓生活に入る。勤労主義に基づき兄弟、友人と農業経営に励み、1921年（大正10）ごろには農場は「兄弟村農場」の名で知られる。29年（昭和4）林正三らと愛郷会を設立、さらに31年には農村青少年を対象とする勤労学校愛郷塾を創立、塾長となる。昭和農業恐慌により打撃を受けて急進化し国家改造を指向、青年将校や井上日召(にっしょう)らと結び付き、32年の五・一五事件には塾生を農民決死隊として組織する。橘は無期懲役の判決を受けるが、40年恩赦により出獄。第二次世界大戦後は著述に専念した。

［北河賢三］

『松沢哲成著『橘孝三郎』（1972・三一書房）』

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