Kazushige Ugaki

Military officer (General) and politician. Born in Okayama Prefecture on June 21, 1868. Graduated from the Army Academy in 1890 (Meiji 23) and the Army War College in 1900 (Meiji 33). Became a member of the General Staff, and was stationed in Germany twice for military research, both before and after the Russo-Japanese War. In 1911, he became head of the Military Affairs Division of the Military Affairs Bureau, and was active in establishing two divisions. In 1913 (Taisho 2), during the Yamamoto Gonbei Cabinet, he opposed the abolition of the system of military ministers being active military officers. In 1916, he became Chief of Operations of the General Staff, and in 1918, he was involved in formulating the policy for dispatching troops to Siberia. He then served as the principal of the Army War College, commander of the 10th Division, chief of the General Training Department, and vice minister of the army, before becoming Minister of War in the Kiyoura Keigo cabinet in 1924, and remaining in that position through the Kato Takaaki cabinet and the first Wakatsuki Reijiro cabinet. During this time, he abolished four divisions and used the savings to improve equipment such as tanks and airplanes, modernizing the military, while at the same time establishing a school training center system and a youth training center system. In 1929 (Showa 4), he became Minister of War again in the Hamaguchi Osachi cabinet, but in 1931 he was involved in the March Incident, a coup d'état plot led by the Sakurakai, and resigned after the incident. He then served as Governor-General of Korea until 1936, where he devoted himself to developing Korea's military industry and revitalizing rural areas. In 1937, after the resignation of the Hirota Koki cabinet, he was ordered to form a cabinet, but the Army opposed it, and by taking advantage of the system of military ministers being active military officers, he did not appoint an Army Minister, causing the cabinet to misfire. The following year, in 1938, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Colonial Affairs in the Konoe Fumimaro cabinet, but resigned after a conflict with the Army over the establishment of the East Asia Development Board. After the war, he was banned from holding public office. After this ban was lifted, he ran in the 1953 (Showa 28) House of Councillors election, and was elected with the highest number of votes in the national constituency. He died on April 30, 1956.

[Kenzo Kitagawa]

"The Diary of Ugaki Kazunari, 3 volumes (1968-1971, Misuzu Shobo)" ▽ "Ugaki Kazunari, by Inoue Kiyoshi (1975, Asahi Shimbun)" ▽ "Ugaki Kazunari and His Times: The Military, Political Parties, and Bureaucrats in the Taisho and Early Showa Periods, edited by Hori Masakiyo (1999, Shinhyoron)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

軍人（陸軍大将）、政治家。慶応(けいおう)4年6月21日岡山県に生まれる。1890年（明治23）陸軍士官学校卒業、1900年（明治33）陸軍大学校卒業。参謀本部員となり、軍事研究のため日露戦争前後二度ドイツに駐在した。1911年軍務局軍事課長となり、2個師団増設のために活躍、1913年（大正2）山本権兵衛(やまもとごんべえ)内閣のときには軍部大臣現役武官制廃止に反対の立場をとった。1916年参謀本部作戦部長に就任、1918年にはシベリア出兵方針の策定にあたった。その後、陸軍大学校校長、第一〇師団長、教育総監部本部長、陸軍次官を経て、1924年清浦奎吾(きようらけいご)内閣の陸相となり、加藤高明(かとうたかあき)内閣、第一次若槻礼次郎(わかつきれいじろう)内閣と留任。この間、4個師団を廃止し、経費節減分を戦車、飛行機など装備の充実にあて、軍の近代化を図り、同時に学校教練、青年訓練所制度を実現した。1929年（昭和4）浜口雄幸(はまぐちおさち)内閣のときふたたび陸相となったが、1931年、桜会を中心とするクーデター計画である三月事件に関与し、事件後辞職した。その後1936年まで朝鮮総督として、朝鮮の軍需工業の育成と農村振興運動に力を注いだ。1937年広田弘毅(ひろたこうき)内閣総辞職後、組閣の大命を受けたが、陸軍が反対し、軍部大臣現役武官制を利用して陸軍大臣を出さず、組閣を流産させた。翌1938年には近衛文麿(このえふみまろ)内閣の外相、拓務相についたが、興亜院設置をめぐって陸軍と対立、辞任した。戦後、公職追放。解除ののち1953年（昭和28）参議院選挙に出馬、全国区最高点で当選した。昭和31年4月30日死去。

［北河賢三］

『『宇垣一成日記』全3巻（1968～1971・みすず書房）』▽『井上清著『宇垣一成』（1975・朝日新聞社）』▽『堀真清編著『宇垣一成とその時代──大正・昭和前期の軍部・政党・官僚』（1999・新評論）』

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