Rikizō Hirano

Rikizō Hirano (平野 力三, Hirano Rikizō; 5 November 1898 – 17 December 1981) was a Japanese farmers’ movement activist and politician. He held the rank of Junior Third Rank.

Originally a national socialist, he later became a leader of the anti-capitalist, anti-fascist and anti-communist farmers’ movement. Known as a “political schemer” for his involvement in the founding of numerous parties, he continued as a member of the House of Representatives after the war and served as Minister of Agriculture and Forestry in the Katayama Cabinet. Their third daughter, Teruko Hirano, was active in the Democratic Socialist Party. Saburō Hirano, who served as a Liberal Democratic Party member of the House of Representatives and later as Governor of Gifu Prefecture, was his nephew.

Biography Hirano was born on 5 November 1898 in Yamato Village, Gujō District, Gifu Prefecture (present-day Gujō City). After studying in the Chinese language course at Takushoku University (graduating in 1920), he graduated from the Department of Political Science and Economics at Waseda University in 1923. In February a Japanese court issued a provisional disposition ruling that he did not fall under the purge, but under pressure from GHQ the purge was confirmed on the grounds that it was an extra-legal measure beyond the reach of Japanese judicial decisions (the Hirano Incident). Dissatisfied with this, the Hirano faction became uncooperative toward the Katayama Cabinet; sixteen members left the Japan Socialist Party on 17 February and founded the Social Reform Party (Shakai Kakushintō). The series of events surrounding the purge is also said to have been entangled in the conflict between the GHQ Government Section and former Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida.

After the purge was lifted on 13 October 1950 he returned to politics. In 1951 he founded the Social Democratic Party (Shakai Minshutō) and became its chairman;

He died on 17 December 1981 at the age of 83. The following day he was posthumously awarded the Junior Third Rank by special imperial decree.

Selected works

Shakai shichō jukkō: Kensetsusha Dōmei kōenshū (社会思潮十講 建設者同盟講演集; Ten Lectures on Social Thought: Lectures of the Builders’ Alliance), edited, Dōjinsha Shoten, 1922 Nōchi kokka kanri hōan (農地国家管理法案; Bill for State Management of Agricultural Land), Nōchi Seido Kaikaku Dōmei, 1941 Nihon nōgyō seisaku to nōchi mondai (日本農業政策と農地問題; Japanese Agricultural Policy and the Land Problem), Ichisugi Shoten, 1943 Hirano Rikizō Kokkai katsudō hōkoku: Watashi wa nōmin no tame ni kaku tatakatta (平野力三国会活動報告 私は農民の為に斯く斗った; Report on Rikizō Hirano’s Diet Activities: Thus I Fought for the Farmers), Zenkoku Nōmin Kumiai Sōhonbu, 1953 Nihon nōgyō no shinrosen: Kengyō honmei e no michi (日本農業の新路線 兼業本命への道; A New Course for Japanese Agriculture: The Path toward Part-time Farming as the Mainstay), Nikan Nōgyō Shinbunsha, 1971 Nōchi kaikaku tōsō no rekishi (農地改革闘争の歴史; History of the Struggle for Land Reform), Nikan Nōgyō Shinbunsha, 1972

Memorial volume

Hiun no nōshō: Hirano Rikizō – Moto Nōrin Daijin Hirano Rikizō sensei tsuisōroku (悲運の農相・平野力三 元農林大臣・平野力三先生追想録; The Ill-Fated Agriculture Minister Rikizō Hirano: Reminiscences of Former Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Rikizō Hirano), Hirano Rikizō Tsuisōroku Kankōkai, 1982