Hirose Saihei

Japanese: 広瀬宰平 - ひろせ・さいへい

Year of death: January 31, 1914
Year of birth: Bunsei 11.5.5 (1828.6.16)
A businessman who built the foundations for the Sumitomo zaibatsu and the development of Osaka's financial world during the late Edo and Meiji periods. His given name was Mitsutada, his pen names were Hosui and Tozu, and he was commonly known as Shin'emon, Gi'emon, and Saihei. He was born as the second son of Kitawaki Risaburo, a doctor, and Mineko in Yafu, Yasu County, Omi Province (Nakasu Town, Yasu County, Shiga Prefecture). In 1838 (Tenpo 9), at the age of 11, he began working for Sumitomo at the Besshi Copper Mine Kanjo, which was run by the company, and he worked for Sumitomo for the next 56 years. In 1855 (Ansei 2), at the age of 28, he was adopted into the Hirose family (a branch of Sumitomo in Yoshu), and in 1865 (Keio 1), at the young age of 38, he became manager of the Besshi Copper Mine. During the upheaval of the Meiji Restoration, he persuaded the new government to recognize the operating rights of the Besshi Copper Mine, which had been seized by the Imperial Army, firmly prevented talk of selling Besshi due to financial difficulties, and invited French engineers Coignet and Laroque to carry out modernization, thus revitalizing the Besshi Copper Mine, which was the property of Sumitomo. During this time, he served as an official at the Mining Bureau in 1868 and 1869, and assisted in the early administration of the mine. In 1877, he became the representative of the Sumitomo family (later the general director), and in 1882, he enacted the Sumitomo Family Law, solidifying the foundation for the family's development. Outside of the family, he worked with Godai Tomoatsu and others to establish a number of companies, including the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and the Osaka Stock Exchange in 1888, a sulfuric acid manufacturing company in 1889, the Kansai Trading Company and the Osaka Copper Manufacturing Company in 1891, and Osaka Shosen in 1892. In 1892, he was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th class, the first private citizen to receive this award for his contributions to the Meiji state. He was a pillar of Osaka's financial world, as if to say, "Shibusawa in the East, Hirose in the West." In a speech on the summit of Mount Besshi in 1887, he stated that he wanted Sumitomo's business to contribute to the development of the nation, but his subsequent independent actions in business created various conflicts, and he was forced to retire at the age of 67 in 1894. The following year, he published his autobiography, "Hansei Monogatari," and retired to Suma, but he never forgot his loyalty to his country and his master, and the year before he passed away, he wrote the words, "Gyakumei Rikun, sono chuu." His remains were divided and buried in Niihama, Osaka, and Omihachiman. <Works> "Hansei Monogatari" (reprint, 1982) <References> "Saihei Ikuji," by Hirose Mitsumasa; "Hirose Saihei's Speech on Mount Besshi in 1887 and Sumitomo's Business Spirit," by Sueoka Teruaki (Sumitomo Historical Archives Bulletin, No. 22)

(Teruhiro Sueoka)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：大正3.1.31(1914)
生年：文政11.5.5(1828.6.16)
幕末明治期に住友財閥と大阪財界発展の基礎を築いた実業家。諱は満忠,号は保水,遠図,通称は新右衛門,義右衛門,宰平。近江国野洲郡八夫(滋賀県野洲郡中主町)の医者北脇理三郎と美根子の次男として生まれ,天保9(1838)年11歳で住友経営の別子銅山勘場に奉公,以後56年間住友に勤務した。安政2(1855)年,28歳のとき広瀬家(予州住友別家)の養子となり,慶応1(1865)年38歳の若さで別子銅山の支配人となった。明治維新の動乱に際し,官軍に接収された別子銅山の稼行権を新政府に認めさせ,経営難による別子売却説を断固阻止し,フランス人技師コワニェとラロックを招いて近代化を敢行するなど,住友の財本の別子銅山を再生させた。その間,明治1(1868)年と4年鉱山司の役人として出仕,初期の鉱山行政に協力した。明治10年住友家総理代人(のちの総理事)となり,15年住友家法を制定して発展の基礎を固めた。外部では,五代友厚らと図って11年大阪商法会議所,大阪株式取引所,12年硫酸製造会社,14年関西貿易社,大阪製銅会社,15年大阪商船など幾多の会社を設立。明治25年,明治国家の功労者として民間最初の勲4等瑞宝章を受章。まさに「東の渋沢,西の広瀬」というべき大阪財界の柱石であった。明治20年別子山上の演説で,住友の事業を国家の発展にも寄与させたいと述べたが,その後の事業における独走は様々の軋轢を生み,明治27年67歳で引退を余儀なくされた。翌年,自伝『半世物語』を刊行して須磨に隠棲したが,国家と主家に対する忠誠心を終生忘れず,他界の前年「逆命利君,謂之忠」と揮毫した。大阪・新居浜・近江八幡に分骨埋葬された。<著作>『半世物語』(復刻,1982)<参考文献>広瀬満正『宰平遺績』,末岡照啓「明治二十年別子山上における広瀬宰平演説と住友の事業精神」(『住友史料館報』22号)

(末岡照啓)

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