Shigeharu Matsumoto

A journalist from the Showa period. Born in Dojima, Osaka. After graduating from the Faculty of Law at Tokyo Imperial University, he studied in Europe and the United States. In 1930 (Showa 5), ​​he founded the Tokyo Institute of Political and Economic Research with Royama Masamichi and others. In 1932, he joined the Newspaper United Press (later Domei Tsushinsha) and was assigned to Shanghai as bureau chief, where he remained until his return to Japan in 1938. During his stay, he became famous for his scoop on the Xi'an Incident. During this time, he was also involved in peace efforts during the Sino-Japanese War with some important figures in the Nationalist government, including Gao Zongwu (1906-1994) and Zhou Fohai. In 1939, he became editor-in-chief of Domei Tsushinsha, and in 1943, he became its executive director. He was also a member of the breakfast club of Konoe Fumimaro's close aides. After the war, he was banned from holding public office, but in 1947 he assisted Takagi Yasaka in establishing the Society for the Study of American Studies, becoming its president in 1952. In 1951 he joined the Japan Committee for Intellectual Exchange, and in the following year he worked hard to establish the International House of Japan, serving as its chairman from 1965 and making significant contributions to international exchange. He served as a counselor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1968. In 1976 he was appointed a Person of Cultural Merit, and in 1980 he was awarded the Magsaysay Award. He also served as a witness to the times with his books such as "The Shanghai Era" and "The Konoe Era."

[Arima Manabu]

"Matsumoto Shigeharu by Junichi Ushiyama" ("Speech Moves Japan 7", 1985, Kodansha)" ▽ ""Reminiscences of Matsumoto Shigeharu" (1990, International House of Japan)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

昭和期のジャーナリスト。大阪堂島に生れる。東京帝国大学法学部卒業後、欧米留学。1930年（昭和5）蠟山政道(ろうやままさみち)らと東京政治経済研究所設立。1932年新聞聯合(れんごう)社（のちの同盟通信社）に入社し、支局長として上海(シャンハイ)に赴任、1938年の帰国まで同地に滞在。滞在中に西安事件のスクープで有名になる。この間、高宗武(こうそうぶ)（1906―1994）、周仏海ら一部国民政府要人との日中戦争和平工作にも関係する。1939年同盟通信社編集局長、1943年同常務理事。近衛文麿(このえふみまろ)側近の朝飯会メンバーでもあった。戦後公職追放となるが、1947年高木八尺(やさか)を助けてアメリカ学会設立に尽力、1952年会長となる。1951年知的交流日本委員会に参加、翌1952年には国際文化会館設立に尽力し、1965年からは理事長として活躍、国際交流に多大の貢献をなした。1968年から外務省参与を務める。1976年文化功労者となり、1980年マグサイサイ賞受賞。『上海時代』『近衛時代』等の著作で時代の証言者の役割も果たした。

［有馬　学］

『牛山純一著「松本重治」（『言論は日本を動かす7』1985・講談社）』▽『『追想松本重治』（1990・国際文化会館）』

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