Saburo Eda

Politician. Born in Okayama Prefecture. Dropped out of Tokyo University of Commerce (now Hitotsubashi University). Joined the National Taishuto Party in 1931 (Showa 6) and participated in the peasant movement in Okayama. Elected to the Okayama Prefectural Assembly in 1937, he was arrested the following year in connection with the People's Front Incident and released in the autumn of 1941. Two years later, he traveled to China to avoid being sent south as a former thought criminal. Returned to Japan in 1946 (Showa 21) and joined the Japan Socialist Party, rejoining the peasant movement. Elected in the 1950 House of Councillors election, and became a member of the House of Representatives in 1963. Initially, he belonged to the left wing of the party, and became Secretary-General in 1960. However, after the assassination of Asanuma in the same year, as acting chairman, he put forward the theory of structural reform as the party's new line, which led to a backlash from the left wing within the party. He lost two subsequent elections for chairman, and served as Secretary-General and Vice-Chairman. In the 1970s, he became a leader of the anti-communist, centrist opposition party reorganization movement, and in 1976 he founded the Association to Consider a New Japan. In 1977 he left the party to found the Social Citizens' Union (the predecessor to the Social Democratic Union), but died suddenly shortly thereafter.

[Shoji Arakawa]

His eldest son, Satsuki, served as President of the House of Councillors.

[Editorial Department]

"My Resume, Volume 18" (1963, Nihon Keizai Shimbunsha) "Eda Saburo - His Romance and Reminiscences" (1979, Doshokankokai)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

政治家。岡山県出身。東京商科大学（現一橋大学）中退。1931年（昭和6）全国大衆党に入党、岡山の農民運動に参加した。1937年岡山県会議員に当選するが、翌年人民戦線事件で検挙され、1941年秋出獄。2年後思想犯前歴者の「南方送り」から逃れるため中国に渡る。1946年（昭和21）帰国し日本社会党に入党、農民運動に復帰。1950年参議院選挙で当選、1963年から衆議院議員。党内では当初左派に属し、1960年書記長となる。しかし同年浅沼暗殺事件後、委員長代行として構造改革論を党の新路線として打ち出し、党内左派の反撃を受ける。以後2回の委員長選挙で敗退、書記長、副委員長を務めた。1970年代に入ると反共・中道の野党再編論のリーダーとなり、1976年「新しい日本を考える会」を結成、1977年離党して社会市民連合（社会民主連合の前身）を発足させるが、その直後急死した。

［荒川章二］

なお、長男の五月(さつき)は参議院議長を務めた。

［編集部］

『『私の履歴書　第18集』（1963・日本経済新聞社）』▽『『江田三郎――そのロマンと追想』（1979・同書刊行会）』

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