Koyata Iwasaki

Businessman. Fourth generation head of Mitsubishi zaibatsu. Eldest son of Yanosuke (younger brother of Yataro). Born on August 3, 1879. After graduating from First High School and Tokyo Imperial University (dropped out), he graduated from Cambridge University in 1905 (Meiji 38), and the following year became vice president of Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha, and in 1916 (Taisho 5) became president. He combined idealism and nationalism, and with his excellent entrepreneurial qualities, he implemented an expansion strategy for each division of Mitsubishi, and in 1917, each business division was made independent as a joint-stock company, completing the zaibatsu form. In addition to trading and banking, he grew Mitsubishi into Japan's largest heavy industry group with companies in shipbuilding, steel, electrical machinery, internal combustion engines, heavy industry, and chemicals. At first, he strongly resisted the policy to dismantle the zaibatsu after World War II, but he eventually resigned from his positions as president of Mitsubishi headquarters and other directors of 10 other companies, and died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm on December 2, 1945. Koyata was also active as an intellectual, sponsoring the Tokyo Philharmonic Society, completing the Seikado Library which had been collected by his father Yanosuke, providing assistance to Seikei Gakuen, and founding the Mitsubishi Research Institute. He was also active as a haiku poet, and went by the name Kyoto.

[Yasuo Mishima]

"The Life of Iwasaki Koyata" (1957) compiled by the Iwasaki Koyata Biography Compilation Committee" ▽ "The History of the Mitsubishi Zaibatsu Taisho and Showa Periods" by Yasuo Mishima (Kyoikusha Rekishi Shinsho)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

実業家。三菱(みつびし)財閥の4代目当主。弥之助（弥太郎の弟）の長男。明治12年8月3日生まれ。旧制第一高等学校、東京帝国大学（中退）を経て、1905年（明治38）ケンブリッジ大学を卒業し、翌年に三菱合資会社の副社長、1916年（大正5）社長に就任した。理想主義とナショナリズムをあわせもち、優れた企業者資質によって三菱の各部門の拡大戦略を実施し、1917年から各事業部を株式会社として独立させ、財閥の形態を完成した。商事、銀行のほかに造船、製鉄、電機、内燃機、重工業、化成などの各企業によって、三菱を日本最大の重工業企業集団に成長させた。第二次世界大戦後の財閥解体政策に最初は強い抵抗を示したが、ついに三菱本社社長をはじめ10社の取締役を退任し、昭和20年12月2日に大動脈瘤(りゅう)破裂によって死亡した。小弥太は文化人としても活躍し、東京フィルハーモニー会の後援、父弥之助収集の静嘉堂(せいかどう)文庫の完成、成蹊(せいけい)学園への援助、三菱経済研究所の創設などを行い、また俳人としても活躍し、巨陶と号した。

［三島康雄］

『岩崎小弥太伝編纂委員会編『岩崎小弥太伝』（1957）』▽『三島康雄著『三菱財閥史　大正昭和編』（教育社歴史新書）』

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