Shigenobu Okuma
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | Date: 2008
Shigenobu Okuma , 1838-1922, Japanese statesman. He was an early supporter of the emperor and entered the Meiji government as finance minister in 1869. In 1876 he had the annual stipends of the former feudal aristocracy changed to payments in lump sums, with great saving for the state. His power in the government grew steadily, and by 1881 he was the only oligarch able or inclined to challenge the conservative and autocratic ideals of Hirobumi Ito . In 1881, Okuma publicly urged the government to set up a parliament and embarrassed the Ito clique by exposing their fraudulent scheme to sell government assets in Hokkaido. The oligarchs, fearing growing popular support for Okuma, persuaded the emperor to oust him. Okuma founded (1882) a reform party called the Kaishinto (a forerunner of the Minseito) and agitated for parliamentary government. However, Okuma's connections with the Mitsubishi business interests (see zaibatsu ) were publicized, and his prestige, and that of democratic government, declined. As foreign minister (1888-89), he negotiated to revise the unequal treaties with the Western powers, which limited Japan's tariff autonomy and permitted extraterritoriality for Europeans. The bomb of a terrorist who opposed the Japanese government's attempt to find a compromise cost Okuma a leg. He again served as foreign minister in 1896 and 1897, and during this period the unequal clauses in the treaties were finally eliminated. In 1898 he and Itagaki merged their parties to form the Kenseito (Constitutional party) and Okuma served for a brief period as prime minister. During his second term as prime minister (1914-16) the army was expanded, and Japan, entering World War I on the Allied side, seized Kiaochow and presented China with the Twenty-one Demands .
Author not available, OKUMA, SHIGENOBU.,
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition 2008
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press
Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles from HighBeam Research
|
PM BARAK MEETS INDIAN FM JASWANT SINGH.(Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh)(Brief Article)
IPR Strategic Business Information Database; 7/3/2000; 180 words
; (Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Advisor). Prime Minister Ehud Barak yesterday evening (Sunday), 2.7.2000, meet with Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh. Prime Minister Barak stressed the great potential in economic and technological cooperation between Israel and India and proposed a
Read more
|
|
After spat, Olmert, Livni pledge to work together. Prime minister and foreign minister silent on mutual recriminations
Jerusalem Post; 5/7/2007; HERB KEINON; 385 words
; ... work together. Prime minister and foreign minister silent on mutual recriminations Byline: HERB KEINON Edition; Daily Section: News Page: 03 Monday, May 7, 2007 -- Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said they patched up their rocky ...
Read more
|
|
|
ISRAEL: FOREIGN MINISTER SILVAN SHALOM MEETS WITH ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER.(Silvio Berlusconi )
IPR Strategic Business Information Database; 7/13/2003; 330 words
; (Communicated by the Foreign Ministry Spokesman). In his meeting today with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi told Foreign Minister Shalom that in his meetings with the 25 ambassadors representing the countries of the European Union,
Read more
|
 "The Economist (US)")
|
Enjoying himself; Italy's prime and foreign minister.(Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's fun-loving foreign and prime minister)(Brief Article)
The Economist (US); 6/1/2002; 377 words
; All the world's his stage Silvio Berlusconi likes holding two government jobs at once HE JUST loves it. Silvio Berlusconi seems happiest when he can spend a whole day with heads of state and fellow prime ministers. He believes that his charm and salesmanship, qualities that helped make him Italy's
Read more
|
|
Remarks Prior to Discussions With Prime Minister Ehud Barak of Israel and Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara of Syria.(Brief Article)
Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents; 12/20/1999; 680 words
; December15, 1999 Middle East Peace Process The President. Good morning. It is an honor, to welcome Prime Minister Barak, Foreign Minister Shara, and the members of the Israeli and Syrian delegations here to the White House. When the history of this century is written, some of its most illustrious
Read more
|
|
|
ISRAEL: PM SHARON SPEAKS WITH FM SHALOM; WILL HOLD CONSULTATIONS LATER THIS WEEK.(Ariel Sharon prime minister, Silvan Shalom foreign minister )(Brief Article)
IPR Strategic Business Information Database; 2/9/2005; 85 words
; (Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser on Feb. 8). Prime Minister Ariel Sharon spoke this evening (Tuesday), 8.2.05, with Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and updated him on his talks at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit. Prime Minister Sharon thanked Foreign Minister Shalom for his ramified
Read more
|
|
Israeli officials forming alliances as race for prime minister grows Foreign Minister Sharon considers running; May 17 set as date for election
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; 12/30/1998; RON KAMPEAS; 388 words
; Benjamin Netanyahu's rivals in the race for prime minister openly courted his past and present ministers Tuesday, the same day parliament's Law Committee approved May 17 as the date for early elections. Labor Party leader Ehud Barak exchanged compliments with David Levy, the head of the Gesher
Read more
|
|
|
ISRAEL: FM SHALOM MEETS WITH BELGIAN PM VER HOFSTADT.(Foreign Minister, Silvan Shalom, Prime Minister, Guy Ver Hofstadt)
IPR Strategic Business Information Database; 12/15/2004; 336 words
; (Communicated by the Foreign Minister's Spokesman, Jerusalem, 13 December 2004). Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom met today in Brussels with Belgian Prime Minister Guy Ver Hofstadt. This was the first meeting between senior officials since last year's crisis between the two
Read more
|
|
|
ISRAEL: FM PERES MEETS WITH PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER OF LUXEMBOURG.
IPR Strategic Business Information Database; 10/21/2002; 109 words
; (Communicated by the Foreign Minister's Bureau). Foreign Minister Shimon Peres met this morning in Luxembourg with Prime Minister Jean Claude Juncker and Foreign Minister Lydie Polfer. At the end of the meeting, Mr. Peres stated that any digression from the coordinated position of the United States
Read more
|
 "Info-Prod Research (Middle East)")
|
FM PERES MEETS WITH PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER OF LUXEMBOURG
Info-Prod Research (Middle East); 10/21/2002; 108 words
; (Communicated by the Foreign Minister's Bureau). Foreign Minister Shimon Peres met this morning in Luxembourg with Prime Minister Jean Claude Juncker and Foreign Minister Lydie Polfer.At the end of the meeting, Mr. Peres stated that any digression from the coordinated position of the United States
Read more
|
Related entries from encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauruses
|
Shigenobu Okuma
Encyclopedia of World Biography
Shigenobu Okuma The Japanese statesman and politician Shigenobu Okuma (1838-1922) was one of the early leaders of the ... castle town of the Hizen domain in western Kyushu, Shigenobu Okuma was the son of a middle-rank samurai. In 1855 ...
Read more
|
|
Okuma Shigenobu
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
... a new party in 1898, the Kenseito ('Constitutional Party'). They formed a short-lived government with Okuma as prime minister. Okuma's second tenure as prime minister (1914–16) was more successful. He is also remembered as the founder of Waseda University (1882). Meiji Constitution . Okuma ...
Read more
|
|
Minseito
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
... is usually called the Liberal party in English. Founded by Shigenobu Okuma in 1882 as the Kaishinto, or Progressive party, it was dissolved ... with the Jiyuto (see Seiyukai ) in 1898 to form the Kenseito. Okuma later took his group out of the Kenseito and set up the Kenseihonto ...
Read more
|
|
|
Hirobumi Ito
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
... a member of the ruling council and worked to modernize Japan and solidify the power of the oligarchs. By 1881 he forced Shigenobu Okuma to resign and thus became the foremost political power in Japan. In 1882 he headed the mission sent abroad to study foreign ...
Read more
|
|
|
Taisuke Itagaki
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
... Risshisha [Society of Independence] and set up (1881) the Jiyuto [Liberal] party, a forerunner of the Seiyukai. He was home minister under Hirobumi Ito and in 1898 was associated with Shigenobu Okuma in an attempt to form a party government.
Read more
|