Masayoshi Matsukata

A politician of the Meiji and Taisho eras. Born on February 25, 1836, at Seikenji, Shimoarata, under Kagoshima Castle, to Matsukata Masayasu, a samurai of the Satsuma domain. His childhood name was Kinjiro, and he later changed his name to Shosaku, Sannojo, Ichiro, and Sukezaemon. From 1852 (Kaei 5) he served as the chief clerk and secretary for seven years, and in 1860 (Man'en 1) he was ordered to accompany Shimazu Tadayoshi, the governor of the domain, to Edo. At the end of that year, he married Masako, the eldest daughter of Kawakami Sadayu, a samurai of the same domain. In 1862 (Bunkyu 2), he accompanied Shimazu Hisamitsu to Kyoto and Edo. In 1866 (Keio 2), he was assigned to the domain's warship department, and worked hard to strengthen the domain's military by purchasing warships and rifles, and also worked hard to promote the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance. After the establishment of the Meiji government, he served as a staff officer for the Kyushu Chinbushi (envoy of the Kyushu region), a staff officer at the Nagasaki Court, and Hita Prefecture Governor, before being appointed as the Minister of Finance and Head of the Taxation Bureau in 1871 (Meiji 4). He then held positions related to industry, such as head of the Industry Promotion Bureau and head of the Agriculture Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Home Affairs, before being appointed as Minister of Home Affairs in 1880 and as Councilor and Minister of Finance the following year in 1881. Matsukata, who replaced Okuma Shigenobu as Minister of Finance, implemented the so-called Matsukata Finance, and forced the streamlining of paper currency and the expansion of the military. This policy, also known as the Matsukata deflation, succeeded in putting an end to inflation, but it also led to a sharp fall in prices, causing many farmers to lose their land and promoting the establishment of a landlord system. He was appointed Minister of Finance when the cabinet system was launched in 1885, and served in that position almost continuously until 1900 (Meiji 33), except for the second and third cabinets of Ito Hirobumi and the first Okuma cabinet for about five years. During this time, he also served as Minister of the Interior in 1888 (Meiji 21), became a member of the House of Peers in 1890, and was Prime Minister twice, from 1891 to 1892 and from 1896 to 1898, boasting great power. A group known as the Matsukata faction was formed within the ruling class, and had a strong influence on the government and the Imperial Court. In 1898, he was honored as a Gensho (a state of the Meiji period), and in 1903 (Meiji 36), he was appointed Privy Councillor, and in 1917 (Taisho 6), he was appointed Minister of the Interior, and continued to wield influence in politics as a Gensho (a state of the Meiji period) from outside the cabinet. He died of illness on July 2, 1924.

[Yutaka Kasuga]

"The Life of Duke Matsukata Masayoshi, by Tokutomi Inochiro, 2 volumes (1935, Biography Publishing House)" ▽ "The True Story of Marquis Matsukata Masayoshi, edited by Nakamura Tokugoro (included in Matsukata Masayoshi Documents 1-5, supervised by Fujimura Toru, 1979-1983, Institute of Oriental Studies, Daito Bunka University)" ▽ "The Prime Ministers of the Meiji and Taisho Eras 3: Matsukata Masayoshi and the Gunfire of the Sino-Japanese War, by Togawa Inochi (1983, Kodansha)" ▽ "Matsukata Masayoshi - I Have No Ingenious Strategies, Only Honesty, by Muroyama Yoshimasa (2005, Minerva Shobo)" ▽ "The Biographies of Former Prime Ministers Series 4: Matsukata Masayoshi, supervised by Mikuriya Takashi (2005, Yumani Shobo)" ▽ "Matsukata Masayoshi - Pioneer of Japanese Finance, by Fujimura Toru (Nikkei Shinsho)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治・大正時代の政治家。天保(てんぽう)6年2月25日、鹿児島城下の下荒田(しもあらた)正建寺(せいけんじ)に薩摩(さつま)藩士松方正恭(まさやす)の子として生まれる。幼名を金次郎と称し、正作、三之丞(さんのじょう)、一郎、助左衛門と改名する。1852年（嘉永5）から7年間大番頭座書役(だいばんとうざしょやく)につき、1860年（万延1）大守島津忠義(しまづただよし)に随行して江戸出府を命ぜられる。この年末に同藩士川上左太夫(かわかみさだゆう)の長女満佐子(まさこ)と結婚。1862年（文久2）には島津久光(ひさみつ)に随行して京、江戸へ出向く。1866年（慶応2）には藩の軍艦掛につき、軍艦や小銃の購入など藩の軍備強化に奔走し、薩長同盟の促進にも尽力した。明治新政府の成立後は、九州鎮撫使(ちんぶし)参謀、長崎裁判所参謀、日田(ひた)県知事などを歴任したあと、1871年（明治4）に大蔵権大丞(ごんのたいじょう)や租税権頭(ごんのかみ)などに就任。その後、勧業頭や内務省勧農局長など勧業関係の役職を経て、1880年には内務卿(きょう)、翌1881年には参議兼大蔵卿に就任した。大隈重信(おおくましげのぶ)にかわって大蔵卿に就任した松方は、いわゆる松方財政を展開し、紙幣整理と軍拡を強行した。松方デフレともよばれたこの政策は、インフレを終息させることに成功したが、物価の急落を招き、多数の農民が土地を失い、地主制の成立を促進した。1885年の内閣制度発足と同時に大蔵大臣に就任し、その後1900年（明治33）まで第二次・第三次伊藤博文(いとうひろぶみ)内閣のときと、第一次大隈内閣のときの5年ほどを除いて、ほぼ一貫して大蔵大臣の地位にあった。この間1888年（明治21）には内務大臣兼務、1890年には貴族院議員となり、1891～1892年と、1896～1898年の2回にわたり総理大臣に就任するなど権勢を誇った。支配層内部に松方閥なるグループが形成され、政府・宮中などに強い影響力を有した。1898年には元勲に待遇され、1903年（明治36）には枢密院顧問官、1917年（大正6）には内大臣に就任し、閣外から明治の元勲として政治に影響力をもち続けた。大正13年7月2日病死。

［春日　豊］

『徳富猪一郎著『公爵松方正義伝』全2巻（1935・同伝記発行所）』▽『中村徳五郎編『侯爵松方正義卿実記』（藤村通監修『松方正義関係文書　1～5』所収・1979～1983・大東文化大学東洋研究所）』▽『戸川猪佐武著『明治・大正の宰相3　松方正義と日清戦争の砲火』（1983・講談社）』▽『室山義正著『松方正義――我に奇策あるに非ず、唯正直あるのみ』（2005・ミネルヴァ書房）』▽『御厨貴監修『歴代総理大臣伝記叢書4　松方正義』（2005・ゆまに書房）』▽『藤村通著『松方正義――日本財政のパイオニア』（日経新書）』

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