Komei (Takaaki) Kato

Komei (Takaaki) Kato , 1860-1926, Japanese statesman. He entered the foreign ministry after graduating from Tokyo Univ. He served (1909) as ambassador to Great Britain. He was foreign minister (1914-15), but his presentation of the Twenty-one Demands to China forced his resignation. Later he organized and headed the conservative Kenseikai party. During his term (1924-25) as prime minister his cabinet was called "the Mitsubishi government," because he and his foreign minister, Shidehara , were both connected by marriage with the Mitsubishi interests. His administration reduced army strength and government expenditures, initiated universal military training, increased military instruction on all educational levels, sponsored the manhood-suffrage law, and favored the Peace Preservation Law, penalizing political heterodoxy.

Kato Komei (or Kato Takaaki) (1860–1926) Japanese statesman who served as ambassador to Britain (1909) and Foreign Minister (1914–15), but was forced to resign after his presentation of the TWENTY-ONE DEMANDS to China. He reorganized and led the conservative Kenseikai, and as Prime Minister (1924–25) pursued a moderate foreign policy while introducing universal manhood suffrage, cutting expenditure, and reducing the size of the army. He also introduced the stringent Peace Preservation Law to balance the possibly destabilizing effects of manhood suffrage. His cabinet was called the “Mitsubishi government” because both he and his foreign minister Shidehara Kijuro had marriage ties with the Mitsubishi ZAIBATSU.

Katô Takaaki ( ‘Komei’) (b. 3 Jan. 1860, d. 28 Jan. 1926). Prime Minister of Japan 1924–5 Katô's early career was with the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, which always gave him its full support. In 1887 he entered public life and spent time in the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During an earlier period as a student in England and later on diplomatic duties in London, Katô had developed a close affinity with Great Britain and was an advocate of an Anglo-Japanese alliance. As Foreign Minister (1913–15) he resigned following the presentation to China of the Twenty-One Demands. He became president of the Kenseikai (predecessor to the Minseitô) and was leader of the opposition until 1924, when his party came to power. During his two years as Prime Minister Katô introduced universal male suffrage, reduced the size and influence of the army, and lessened the power of the House of Peers. At the same time, however, he sponsored repressive legislation such as the Peace Preservation Law and introduced military training into high school. Despite this, Katô's government is remembered as a high point in the democratic interlude that Japan experienced between the wars.