Matsumoto Jiichiro - Matsumoto Jiichiro

Social activist and politician. Born in Kanehira Village, Naka County, Fukuoka Prefecture (now Fukuoka City). Born in a discriminated-against buraku community, he became aware of the need to fight against buraku discrimination after the Hakata Mainichi Newspaper Company discrimination incident in 1916 (Taisho 5). In 1921, he formed the Chikuzen Kyokakudan, participated in the Suiheisha movement in 1923, and was elected chairman of the National Suiheisha in 1925. He served as chairman until the National Suiheisha was dissolved in 1942 (Showa 17). During that time, he was arrested on suspicion of attempting to assassinate Tokugawa Iesato in 1924 (Taisho 13) and in 1926 for the attempted bombing of the Fukuoka regiment, but he did not succumb to the repression and was first elected to the House of Representatives from the Fukuoka 1st district in 1936. As a visiting member of the Social Mass Party, he also worked hard to unify the front with the Labor-Farmer-Property Council. After the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, although he basically cooperated with national policy, he did not abandon his anti-discrimination stance, criticizing the actions of the Japanese military in China in parliament and raising issues about discrimination against the Burakumin and the Ainu people.

After the Second World War, he was elected to the House of Councillors as a member of the Japan Socialist Party in 1947 (Showa 22), and was selected as its first Vice President, but refused to have an audience with the Emperor in the "crab-like sideways" style (the custom of walking sideways so as not to show the Emperor one's bottom) in order to demonstrate the significance of sovereignty residing in the people. He also became chairman of the National Committee for Buraku Liberation (since 1955 the Buraku Liberation League) in 1946 (Showa 21), and chairman of the Japan-China Friendship Association in 1953, and continued to be active as a leader in the Buraku liberation movement and peace movement.

[Yutaka Fujino]

"Buraku Liberation League Central Headquarters ed. Matsumoto Jiichiro Biography (1987, Kaiho Publishing)" ▽ "Fukuoka Human Rights Research Institute ed. Western Japanese Biography 16 Matsumoto Jiichiro (2003, Nishinippon Shimbun)" ▽ "Takayama Fumihiko, Suihei-ki -- Matsumoto Jiichiro and 100 Years of the Buraku Liberation Movement, Volumes 1 and 2 (Shincho Bunko)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

社会運動家、政治家。福岡県那珂(なか)郡金平(かねひら)村（現、福岡市）出身。被差別部落に生まれ、1916年（大正5）博多(はかた)毎日新聞社差別事件を機に部落差別との闘いを自覚。1921年筑前叫革(ちくぜんきょうかく)団を結成、1923年には水平社運動に参加し、1925年全国水平社委員長に選出された。以後、1942年（昭和17）全国水平社が消滅するまで委員長職を務め、その間、1924年（大正13）徳川家達(いえさと)暗殺未遂容疑で、1926年福岡連隊爆破未遂事件で、それぞれ逮捕されるが弾圧に屈せず、1936年福岡1区より衆議院議員に初当選。社会大衆党の客員として労農無産協議会との戦線統一にも奔走した。日中戦争勃発(ぼっぱつ)後は、基本的には国策に協力しながらも、議会で日本軍の中国における行動を批判したり、部落差別、アイヌ民族への差別についても問題にするなど反差別の主張だけは捨てなかった。

　第二次世界大戦後、1947年（昭和22）日本社会党から参議院議員に当選、初代参議院副議長に選出されたが、主権在民の意義を示すため天皇に対する「カニの横ばい」式の拝謁（天皇に尻をみせないように横向きに歩く慣習）を拒否した。また、1946年（昭和21）部落解放全国委員会（1955年より部落解放同盟）の委員長、1953年日中友好協会会長となり、部落解放運動・平和運動の指導者として活動を続けた。

［藤野　豊］

『部落解放同盟中央本部編『松本治一郎伝』（1987・解放出版社）』▽『福岡人権研究所編『西日本人物誌16　松本治一郎』（2003・西日本新聞社）』▽『高山文彦著『水平記――松本治一郎と部落解放運動の一〇〇年』上下（新潮文庫）』

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