Katsura Tarō

Prince was a Japanese statesman and general who served as prime minister of Japan from 1901 to 1906, from 1908 to 1911, and from 1912 to 1913. He was a genrō, or senior statesman who helped dictate policy during the Meiji era, and is the second-longest serving Japanese prime minister after Shinzo Abe, serving for a combined total of 7 years and 330 days.

Born in the Choshu Domain to a samurai family, Katsura participated in the Boshin War that led to the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He spent several years studying military science in Germany, and became a protégé of Yamagata Aritomo. He distinguished himself in the First Sino-Japanese War, then served as governor-general of Taiwan and later as minister of war from 1898 to 1901, when he was appointed prime minister. Katsura's relatively stable tenure saw Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War before he was forced to resign in 1906 amid public outrage at the government's failure to secure an indemnity from Russia. He returned as premier in 1908, and showed authoritarian tendencies in the crackdown on the High Treason Incident of 1910, which saw the mass arrest of leftists and which was followed by the establishment of the Special Higher Police in 1911. In 1910, Korea was annexed by Japan. After Emperor Meiji's death in 1912, Katsura became prime minister again, which triggered the Taisho Political Crisis. He resigned three months later after a vote of no confidence.

Early life Katsura was born on 4 January 1848 in Hagi, Nagato Province (present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture) as the eldest son of horse guard Katsura Yoichiemon into a samurai family of the Chōshū Domain. As a youth, Katsura joined the movement against the Tokugawa shogunate and participated in the Boshin War that led to the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

Army career The new Meiji government considered that Katsura displayed great talent, and in 1870 sent him to Germany to study military science. He served as military attaché at the Japanese embassy in Germany from 1875 to 1878 and again from 1884 to 1885. On his return to Japan, he was promoted to major general. He served in several key positions within the Imperial Japanese Army, and in 1886 was appointed Vice-Minister of War.

During the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) Katsura commanded the IJA 3rd Division under his mentor, Field Marshal Yamagata Aritomo. During the war, his division made a memorable march in the depth of winter from the north-east shore of the Yellow Sea to Haicheng, finally occupying Niuchwang, and effecting a junction with the IJA 2nd Army which had moved up the Liaodong Peninsula.

Death

Katsura died of stomach cancer eight months later on 10 October 1913, aged 65. His funeral was held at the temple of Zōjō-ji in Shiba, Tokyo and his grave is at the Shōin Jinja, in Setagaya.

Honors From the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia

A memorial stone that commemorates the opening of Sasago railway tunnel. The epigraph was written by Taro Katsura.

Titles Viscount (20 August 1895) Count (27 February 1902) Marquess (21 September 1907) Prince (21 April 1911) Genrō (30 August 1911)

Decorations Japanese Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure (20 August 1895; Second Class: 11 May 1891) Order of the Golden Kite, 3rd class (20 August 1895) Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (27 December 1901; Third Class: 19 November 1885; Fourth Class: 26 May 1880) Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers (10 October 1913; posthumous) Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum (10 October 1913, Awarded a few hours before his death; Grand Cordon: 1 April 1906)

Foreign Knight of the Order of the White Eagle (1 May 1899) Knight of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky in Brilliants (11 November 1911) Grand Cross of the Order of the Red Eagle (4 October 1906; Knight 1st Class: 3 February 1900) Knight of the Order of Merit of the Prussian Crown (19 September 1912) Duchy of Brunswick: Knight 1st Class of the Order of Henry the Lion (1 July 1910) Grand Officer of the Legion d'Honneur (16 April 1901) Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) (8 July 1905) Holy See: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX (5 June 1906) Grand Cordon of the Order of the Golden Ruler (21 December 1907) Order of the Double Dragon, Class I Grade II (21 December 1907; Class I Grade III: 18 December 1899)