Yamamoto Jōtarō

was a politician and businessman in late Meiji and early Taishō period Empire of Japan. He is noted for his involvement in the Siemens scandal of 1914 and in the development of the South Manchurian Railway.

Early life and career Yamamoto Jōtarō was born on October 11, 1867, in Echizen Province (part of present-day Echizen, Fukui Prefecture) as the eldest son of Yamamoto Jōetsu, a samurai of the Fukui Domain. Yamamoto attended and dropped out from the Kaisei Academy.

After joining Mitsui Bussan, he worked at the Yokohama branch, Shanghai branch, Shanghai Boseki Company, and Osaka branch, rising rapidly through the corporate ranks, becoming Executive Director of Mitsui by 1909.

Yamamoto also worked closely with the Japanese Consul-General in Mukden, Shigeru Yoshida, in influencing the foreign policy of the Tanaka administration into a stronger stance to promote Japanese economic interests in northern China. However, the Huanggutun Incident, the assassination of Zhang Zuolin by agents of the Kwantung Army also occurred during his tenure, and he was forced into retirement.

Personal life

Yamamoto had a summer villa located in Kamakura and is designated a Registered tangible cultural property (building).

He was also known as a master of the Japanese tea ceremony, a pursuit to which he devoted his retirement years. His grave is at the Tama Cemetery in Fuchū, Tokyo.