Masajirō Tazuke

(December 15, Bunkyū Year 3 (January 23, 1864) – April 26, Shōwa's 8th Year) was a Japanese Ōmi merchant and businessman. He became director of Ōsaka Spinning. He participated in the founding of Toyobo, Nisshinbo Holdings and Gosho (currently Kanematsu). Moreover, he was called "General Tazuke" because he participated actively as a cotton yarn speculator. He was renowned as "Tazuke for Sale". He was the great-grandfather of Hiroko Kuniya, the News presenter.

Personal Profile

He was born in currently Higashiōmi City, Shiga Prefecture in Bunkyū Year 3 (1863). He opened the Tazuke Store, one of Semba's Eight Companies, and was a presence that led cotton trade and the cotton industry.

In Meiji's 9th Year (1876), Masajirō entered "Benchū" in Hon Town, Ōsaka, which his uncle Chūbē manages, as an apprentice. In Meiji's 11th Year (1878), he conducted the peddling of kimono fabric and cotton goods in his hometown, and in August Meiji's 21st Year (1888), he married Sadaemon Tsukamoto's third daughter Tomoko in Minamigokashō Village, Kanzaki District (now Higashiōmi City). The following year, in Meiji's 22nd Year (1889), he set up a store that dealt in cotton, flannel, etc. in Azuchi Town, Higashi Ward, Ōsaka City.

On April 26, Shōwa's 8th Year (1933), Masajirō died of a heart attack at the Itō residence in Ashiya, Hyōgo Prefecture. Masajirō cooperated with the school management as director until the time before he died.

Tazuke Kōfūkai Public Interest Incorporated Foundation On October 10, Taishō's 14th Year (1923), Masajirō Tazuke founded the Tazuke Kōfūkai Public Interest Incorporated Foundation with "the aim of carrying out comprehensive research with respect to medical science as well as contributing to the promotion and growth of arts and sciences, science and technology, and culture", and opened a hospital for the use of a clinical medicine research institute (currently Kitano Hospital, The Tazuke Kofukai Medical Research Institute) in Shōwa's 3rd Year (1928).

Gohō Kōfūkai Public Interest Incorporated Foundation On the first anniversary of Masajirō Tazuke's death, the Gohō Kōfūkai Public Interest Incorporated Foundation was founded, and it inherited Masajirō's last wishes and has been providing support and subsidies to projects with respect to the promotion of education, growth of self-government and improvement of welfare in his hometown Notogawa.

Related works (By Masajirō Tazuke, Tazuke Store, 1925) (Edited by Teizō Itō, Tazuke Store, 1935) (By Masajirō Tazuke, Edited by Teizō Itō, Tazuke Store, 1936)