Hamada Kunimatsu

A political party politician in the Meiji, Taisho and Showa periods. His pen name was Komatsu. He was born on March 10, 1868 in Ise Province (Mie Prefecture). He graduated from Tokyo Law School (the predecessor to Chuo University) in 1891 (Meiji 24) and became a lawyer. He was elected to the House of Representatives 12 times from 1904 (Meiji 37). He belonged to the National Party and the Reform Club, among others, and in 1925 (Taisho 14) he joined the Seiyukai party with Inukai Tsuyoshi and others. He served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1934 to 1936 (Showa 9-11). He was known as a strong-willed politician throughout the first and second constitutional protection movements. After the February 26 Incident, the military's interference in politics only increased, but in January 1937, at a plenary session of the House of Representatives, he gave a speech attacking the military's interference in politics. When the Minister of War, Hisaichi Terauchi, who was in charge of the response, declared that this was an insult to the military, Hirota countered by saying, "If I have said anything that insults the military, I will commit seppuku to apologize to you. If I have not, you should commit seppuku yourself," sparking a head-on clash between the political party and the military (Harakiri Debate). As a result, the Cabinet of Hirota Koki was forced to resign en masse on the 23rd of the same month due to a conflict between the Minister of War, who demanded its dissolution, and the cabinet members from political parties who opposed it. Hirota died on September 6, 1939.

[Kenichi Yoshii]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治・大正・昭和期の政党政治家。号は孤松。慶応(けいおう)4年3月10日、伊勢(いせ)国（三重県）に生まれる。1891年（明治24）東京法学院（中央大学の前身）を卒業し弁護士となった。1904年（明治37）から衆議院議員に12回当選。国民党、革新倶楽部(くらぶ)などに所属、1925年（大正14）犬養毅(いぬかいつよし)らとともに政友会に入った。1934～1936年（昭和9～11）衆議院議長を務めた。第一次、第二次の護憲運動を通して硬骨の政治家として知られた。二・二六事件以後軍部の政治干渉は増大するばかりであったが、1937年1月の衆議院本会議において、軍部の政治干与を攻撃する演説を行った。答弁にたった寺内寿一(てらうちひさいち)陸相がこれを軍人を侮辱するものであるときめつけたのに対して、「軍隊を侮辱したことばがあったら割腹して君に謝する、なかったら君割腹せよ」と詰め寄って、政党と軍部の正面衝突を引き起こした（腹切り問答）。このため広田弘毅(こうき)内閣は、解散を要求する陸相とそれに反対する政党出身閣僚の対立で同月23日総辞職に追い込まれた。昭和14年9月6日死去。

［芳井研一］

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