Kanetake Ooura

Japanese: 大浦兼武 - おおうら・かねたけ

Year of death: September 30, 1918
Year of birth: 1850.6.15
A bureaucrat and politician of the Meiji and Taisho periods. Born in Miyanoshiro, Satsuma County, Satsuma Province (Kagoshima Prefecture). As the son of a Satsuma samurai, he received a martial education, participated in the Boshin War (1868-69) as a member of the government army, and later became a police officer in Tokyo Prefecture. However, when the debate over the expedition to Korea arose, he retreated with other police officers from Satsuma and returned to his hometown. However, he later parted ways with the disgruntled samurai, returned to Tokyo and became a police officer under Chief Superintendent Kawaji Toshiyoshi, and fought in the government army during the Satsuma Rebellion (1877). He later became an internal affairs bureaucrat in Osaka, Toyama, and other places, and went on to serve as governor of Shimane Prefecture in 1893 (Meiji 26), and later as governor of Yamaguchi Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture. During this time, he was skilled in interfering in the second general election in 1892. During his time in Osaka, Oura became acquainted with Yamagata Aritomo and was counted among the so-called "Yamagata faction." He became Superintendent General of the Metropolitan Police in the second Yamagata Cabinet in 1956 and the first Katsura Cabinet in 1951. During this time, Oura worked hard to establish discipline among police officers and to encourage voluntary closure of prostitutes. On the other hand, he was feared by opposing political forces as the leader of detective politics. Furthermore, in 1961, he became Minister of Communications, and also Minister of Agriculture and Commerce and Minister of the Interior. During this time, he was active as a leader of the so-called "Political Affairs Party," including the Central Club, and participated in the formation of the Rikken Doshikai in 1913 (Taisho 2), leading the party together with its president, Kato Takaaki. However, in 1914, he was involved in a bribery scandal (Home Minister Oura case) related to a general election and retired from politics. Although he was despised by opposing forces as a "dangerous" person, he was highly trusted by his allies for his strong loyalty to the country, his diligence, and his ability to get things done. <References> Etsuji Kagawa and Hiroyoshi Matsui (eds.), "The Story of Kanetake Oura"

(Kitake Yoshiya)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：大正7.9.30(1918)
生年：嘉永3.5.6(1850.6.15)
明治大正期の官僚政治家。薩摩国(鹿児島県)薩摩郡宮之城に生まれる。薩摩士族の子として尚武の教育を受け,官軍として戊辰戦争(1868～69)に参加,のち東京府の警察官となるが,征韓論の議が起こると,他の薩摩出身警察官と共に退隠し故郷に帰る。しかし,その後の彼は不平士族とは袂を分かち,再び上京して大警視川路利良の下で警察官となり,西南戦争(1877)では政府軍として活躍する。以降,大阪,富山などで内務官僚となり,さらに明治26(1893)年の島根県知事就任を始めとして,山口県,熊本県の各知事を歴任する。この間,25年の第2回総選挙では選挙干渉に辣腕をふるった。また,大阪時代に山県有朋の面識を得ていわゆる「山県閥」のひとりに数えられ,31年第2次山県内閣および34年第1次桂内閣で警視総監となる。この時の大浦は,警察官の規律の確立や娼妓の任意廃業などに尽力した。一方,敵対政治勢力からは探偵政治の総指揮者として恐れられた。さらに,36年逓信大臣を皮切りに,農商務大臣,内務大臣にも就任する。この間は中央倶楽部などいわゆる吏党の指導者として活動し,また大正2(1913)年の立憲同志会結成に参加し,総裁加藤高明と共に同党の指導に当たる。しかし4年,総選挙に絡む贈収賄事件(大浦内相事件)に関与し政界を引退した。彼は,「物騒」な人物として敵対勢力から忌み嫌われたが,国家への強い忠誠心と,勤勉さ,実行力で味方からは非常に信頼を得ていた。<参考文献>香川悦次・松井広吉編『大浦兼武伝』

(季武嘉也)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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