Yusaku Uehara

An army officer from the Meiji to Showa eras. Born on November 9, 1855, as the second son of Tatsuoka Suketsugu, a samurai of the Kagoshima Domain's branch clan in Miyakonojo, Hyuga Province (Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture), he later inherited the Uehara family lineage of samurai of the same domain. He was the son-in-law of Nozu Michitsura. He graduated from the Military Academy in 1879 (Meiji 12), and studied military engineering in France from 1881 to 1885. After returning to Japan, he served as a member of the General Staff, and in 1901 (Meiji 34), he became the Inspector General of Engineers. He participated in the Russo-Japanese War as Chief of Staff of the 4th Army. He was awarded the title of Baron. In 1912 (Taisho 1), he became Minister of the Army in the second Saionji Kinmochi Cabinet, but his insistence on the addition of two divisions led to conflict with the Cabinet's austerity policies, leading to his sole resignation and the overthrow of the Cabinet, sparking the Taishō Political Crisis. He subsequently served as Commander of the Third Division and Superintendent General of Education, before being promoted to General in 1915, and served as Chief of the General Staff from that same year until 1923. In 1921, he was made a Marshal and made a Viscount. In opposition to the Chōshū faction, he nurtured a huge force, mainly made up of people from Satsuma and Kyushu, which would later become the Imperial Way Faction. He died on November 8, 1933.

[Masaomi Yui]

"Marshal Uehara Yusaku Biography Publishing Committee, edited and published, 'Marshal Uehara Yusaku Biography', 2 volumes (1937)" ▽ "Uehara Yusaku Related Documents Research Group, edited, 'Uehara Yusaku Related Documents' (1976, University of Tokyo Press)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治から昭和時代の陸軍軍人。安政(あんせい)3年11月9日、日向国(ひゅうがのくに)都城(みやこのじょう)（宮崎県都城市）の鹿児島藩の支藩藩士竜岡資弦の次男に生まれ、のち同藩士上原家を継ぐ。野津道貫(のづみちつら)の女婿(じょせい)。1879年（明治12）陸軍士官学校を卒業、1881～1885年フランスに留学し工兵術を修める。帰国後参謀本部員などを経て、1901年（明治34）工兵監となる。日露戦争には第四軍参謀長として参加。男爵を授けられる。1912年（大正1）第二次西園寺公望(さいおんじきんもち)内閣の陸軍大臣となり、2個師団増設を主張し、内閣の緊縮政策と衝突、単独辞任して内閣を倒し、大正政変のきっかけをつくった。その後第三師団長、教育総監を経て1915年大将に進み、同年から1923年まで参謀総長に在任。1921年元帥に列せられ子爵となる。長州閥に対抗して薩摩(さつま)、九州出身者を中心に後の皇道派につながる巨大な勢力を育成した。昭和8年11月8日死去。

［由井正臣］

『元帥上原勇作伝記刊行会編・刊『元帥上原勇作伝』2巻（1937）』▽『上原勇作関係文書研究会編『上原勇作関係文書』（1976・東京大学出版会）』

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