Yamamoto Gonbei

A naval officer and politician. His name was also known as "Gon no Hyoye." He was the sixth son of Yamamoto Iosuke, a samurai of the former Satsuma domain. He was born on October 15, 1857. He lost his father at the age of 14, and at the age of 16, he served under Shimazu Tadayoshi, the domain's lord, as the protector of Kyoto. He served in the Boshin War, and later studied at Shoheiko and Kaiseijo before entering the Naval Academy. During this time, he was involved in the debate on the Korean Expedition, and, under the urging of Saigo Takamori, he devoted himself to his studies, and was commissioned as a naval ensign in 1877 (Meiji 10). He later circumnavigated various parts of the world, and after returning to Japan, he served as captain of the Takao and Takachiho, among others. In 1891, as a chief clerk in the Minister's Secretariat, he displayed his talents in every direction, and gained the full trust of the Minister of Navy, Saigo Tsugumichi, realizing the pending issue of independence of the naval staff. In 1893, he became a chief clerk in the Ministry of the Navy, and in 1895, he became Chief of the Military Affairs Bureau as a rear admiral. During the Sino-Japanese War, he effectively managed the naval military affairs and earned the nickname of Minister Gonbei. In 1898, he became a vice admiral and vice minister of the navy, and served as Minister of the Navy in the cabinets of Yamagata Aritomo, Ito Hirobumi, and Katsura Taro, overcoming the difficulties of the Russo-Japanese War, during which time he was promoted to admiral, and after the war he was awarded the rank of count for his meritorious service. After the third Katsura Cabinet was overthrown in the Taisho Political Crisis of 1913 (Taisho 2), he joined forces with the Rikken Seiyukai Party to form the first Yamamoto Cabinet, which achieved success through reforms such as the system of active military officers as ministers, but he resigned and retired from active duty the following year in 1914 due to the Siemens scandal. He then formed another Cabinet in the midst of the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, promising to realize universal suffrage, streamline the administration and finances, and restore diplomatic relations between Japan and the Soviet Union, but while he was preoccupied with dealing with the aftermath of the disaster, he resigned in disgrace following the Toranomon Incident in December of the same year. As the commander of the Navy, the Satsuma faction, he confronted Yamagata Aritomo, who was the leader of the Army, the Cho faction, but he died of illness on December 8, 1933, at the age of 82.

[Kobayashi Yukio]

"Yamamoto Gonbei - Once Upon a Time in Manhood" by Yoshiaki Tsujimoto (2005, Sobunsha) " "Yamamoto Gonbei: Navy Manager" by Masataka Chihaya (New Edition) (2009, President Inc.)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

海軍軍人、政治家。名前は「ごんのひょうえ」ともいう。旧薩摩(さつま)藩士山本五百助の六男。嘉永(かえい)5年10月15日生まれ。14歳で父を失い、16歳で藩主島津忠義(しまづただよし)に従い京都守護に任じ、戊辰戦争(ぼしんせんそう)に従軍、のち昌平黌(しょうへいこう)、開成所(かいせいじょ)を経て海軍兵学寮に学ぶ。この間、征韓論に会し西郷隆盛(さいごうたかもり)の説諭で学業に専心し、1877年（明治10）海軍少尉に任官。のち世界各地を周航、帰国後「高雄(たかお)」、「高千穂(たかちほ)」艦長などを歴任し、1891年大臣官房主事として縦横にその才を振るい、海相西郷従道(さいごうつぐみち)の全幅的信頼を得て懸案の海軍参謀機関の独立を実現させた。1893年海軍省主事、1895年少将として軍務局長に進み、日清戦争では実質上海軍機務を切り回して権兵衛大臣の異名を得た。1898年中将、海軍次官から、山県有朋(やまがたありとも)、伊藤博文(いとうひろぶみ)、桂太郎(かつらたろう)各内閣の海軍大臣を歴任して日露戦争の難局を突破し、この間大将に昇任、戦後功一級、伯爵の位を得た。1913年（大正2）の大正政変で第三次桂内閣が倒れたあと、立憲政友会と結んで第一次山本内閣を組織し、現役武官大臣制の改革などで業績をあげたが、翌1914年シーメンス事件で辞職、現役を退いた。その後1923年関東大震災の渦中で再度内閣を組織し、普選実現、行財政整理、日ソ国交回復などを公約したが、震災の事後処理に忙殺されるなかで、同年12月の虎の門事件で引責辞職した。陸軍＝長閥の山県有朋に対し、海軍＝薩閥の統領として対峙(たいじ)したが、昭和8年12月8日病没、82歳。

［小林幸男］

『辻本嘉明著『山本権兵衛――かつて男かくありき』（2005・叢文社）』▽『千早正隆著『海軍経営者　山本権兵衛』新装版（2009・プレジデント社）』

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