Giichi Tanaka

Tanaka Giichi (b. 22 June 1864, d. 29 Sept. 1929). Prime Minister of Japan 1927–9 A career soldier whose reputation within the military was established on the basis of his knowledge of Russia and the Russian military. A participant in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–5, Tanaka promoted reforms in army training and was a key figure in the foundation of the Military Reservists Association. In 1925, he became the president of the Seiyûkai and was invited to form a government in 1927, in a bid to bring order to a banking crisis and remedy a weak China policy. The Tanaka Cabinet was responsible for large-scale crackdowns on left-wing groups. He was forced to step down over the failure of his China policy, especially after Emperor Hirohito made known his displeasure at the government's inability to rein in the Guandong Army.

Giichi Tanaka , 1863-1929, Japanese statesman and general. He is famous as the alleged author of the so-called Tanaka Memorial (1927), purporting to set forth Japan's plans for foreign conquest. Although proven to be a forgery, its similarity in part to the subsequent course of Japanese military expansion convinced many of its authenticity. He was war minister (1918-21, 1923-24) and backed the Siberian expedition. He became president of the Seiyukai party in 1925. As prime minister and foreign minister (1927-29) he pursued an aggressive policy in China, including military intervention in Shandong in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Chiang Kai-shek from unifying China. At home, his cabinet suppressed radicals and manipulated an election. Although it failed to win a majority, it remained in office. The downfall of Tanaka was hastened by his failure to control army extremists who assassinated the Manchurian warlord Chang Tso-lin , and by the charge that signing the Kellogg-Briand Pact "in the name of the people" infringed the sovereignty of the emperor.