Sanji Mutō

Sanji Muto (武藤 山治, 1867–1934) was born on April 5, 1867, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, and later grew up in what is now known as Gifu Prefecture. He was the son of a wealthy village headman who was a strong advocate for education, influenced by the ideas of Fukuzawa Yukichi, particularly after reading "Seiyō Jijō.”

Muto attended Keiō Gijuku, now part of Keio University, where he had the opportunity to study directly under Fukuzawa Yukichi. At Keiō, Muto was introduced to British educational methods, which offered a striking contrast to his traditional Confucian background. This exposure ignited Muto's ambition to study at University of Cambridge in England.

Graduating from Keiō University in 1884, Muto was poised to pursue further education abroad. However, his plans were derailed by the "Matsukata Deflation," a severe economic downturn that gravely affected farmers and landlords, including Muto's family. Although his father had set aside funds for his education, these plans were thwarted when a relative, who owed money to Muto's father, was bankrupted by the deflation and unable to repay the debt. As a result, Muto was forced to abandon his dream of studying in England.

Sanji succumbed to his injuries the following day, dying aged 66. Many believe that his assassination was connected to his recent journalistic endeavours, particularly his critical writings on corrupt practices. These efforts are thought to have played a role in the arrests related to the Teijin Scandal, which involved a sitting minister, several bureaucrats, and the president of Teijin, a textile company. In total, 16 individuals were implicated in the scandal, though they were ultimately acquitted due to a lack of sufficient evidence.