Taketora Ogata

Journalist and politician. Born in Yamagata Prefecture. After graduating from the Department of Political Science and Economics at Waseda University, he joined the Asahi Shimbun Company in 1911 (Meiji 44) and became a reporter in the political department. After studying abroad in Europe and the United States, he became editor-in-chief, editor-in-chief in 1934 (Showa 9), managing director, and senior managing director in 1936. He then served as a member of the Important Industries Control Committee and an advisor to the Cabinet Intelligence Bureau, and in 1940 became a member of the New System Preparation Committee and vice president of the Asahi Shimbun in 1943. He left the company in 1944 to serve as Minister of State and Director-General of the Intelligence Bureau in the Koiso-Yonai Cabinet. In 1945, he became a Cabinet Advisor and member of the House of Peers in the Suzuki Kantaro Cabinet. In the Higashikuni Naruhiko Cabinet, he served as Minister of State, Chief Cabinet Secretary, and Director-General of the Intelligence Bureau, and was involved in dealing with the defeat. Ogata was a close friend of the ultranationalist Nakano Seigo from their days as university students and journalists, and was himself a nationalist. After the war, due to his history he was suspected of war crimes, and in 1946 (Showa 21) he was banned from holding public office. In 1951 the ban was lifted, and the following year in 1952 he was elected to the House of Representatives (Fukuoka 1st district) as a member of the Liberal Party. He was Deputy Prime Minister and Chief Cabinet Secretary in the 4th and 5th Yoshida Shigeru Cabinets. After Yoshida resigned in 1954, he became president of the Liberal Party. The following year in 1955 he led the party in the Conservative Joint Vote, and became acting president of the LDP. He was expected to succeed Prime Minister Hatoyama Ichiro, but died suddenly of heart disease. He was 69 years old. His books include "Nakano Seigo the Man" (1951).

[Ara Takashi]

"The Human Ogata Taketora, by Takamiya Taihei (1958, Shikisha)" ▽ "The Life of Ogata Taketora, by Kaji Ryuichi (1962, Jiji Press)" ▽ "The Biography of Ogata Taketora, by Kurita Naoki and edited by the Japanese Historical Association, new edition (2001, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" ▽ "The Biography of Ogata Taketora - A Conservative Politician Who Lived in the Turbulent Showa Era, by Miyoshi Toru (Iwanami Gendai Bunko)" ▽ "The Biography Publishing Association, edited Ogata Taketora (1963, Asahi Shimbun)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ジャーナリスト、政治家。山形県生まれ。早稲田(わせだ)大学専門部政経科を卒業して1911年（明治44）朝日新聞社に入社し、政治部記者となる。欧米留学後、編集局長、1934年（昭和9）主筆、常務取締役、1936年専務取締役に就任。その後、重要産業統制委員、内閣情報部参与を経て、1940年新体制準備委員、1943年朝日新聞副社長となるが、1944年退社して小磯(こいそ)・米内(よない)内閣の国務大臣兼情報局総裁。1945年鈴木貫太郎内閣の内閣顧問、貴族院議員。東久邇稔彦(ひがしくになるひこ)内閣では国務大臣、内閣書記官長、情報局総裁を兼任して敗戦処理にあたる。緒方は国粋主義者の中野正剛(せいごう)とは大学・記者時代からの親友で、自身、国家主義者でもあった。戦後、その経歴から戦犯容疑者となり、1946年（昭和21）公職追放となる。1951年追放解除され翌1952年自由党から衆院選に当選（福岡1区）。第四、五次吉田茂内閣の副総理・官房長官。1954年吉田退陣後、自由党総裁に就任。翌1955年保守合同に党を率いて参加し、自由民主党の総裁代行委員となり、鳩山一郎(はとやまいちろう)首相の後継に予定されていたが心臓病で急逝した。69歳。著書に『人間中野正剛』（1951）がある。

［荒　敬］

『高宮太平著『人間緒方竹虎』（1958・四季社）』▽『嘉治隆一著『緒方竹虎伝』（1962・時事通信社）』▽『栗田直樹著・日本歴史学会編『人物叢書　緒方竹虎』新装版（2001・吉川弘文館）』▽『三好徹著『評伝緒方竹虎──激動の昭和を生きた保守政治家』（岩波現代文庫）』▽『伝記刊行会編『緒方竹虎』（1963・朝日新聞社）』

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