2021年

Economy

Tuesday, May 24 1921: Hanshin began to expropriate land for a new line

1921 (Taisho 10) Tuesday, May 24 Hanshin Electric Railway began to expropriate land for the Hoden Line (The current Hanshin Nanba Line). Under the name of Tokikazu Ikematsu, governor of Osaka Prefecture, an advertisement for land expropriation was announced in the official gazette. The targeted land is the “Oaza Dekijima, Kawakita-mura, Nishinari-gun, Osaka” near the mouth of the local river, Kanzaki River, and is currently in the vicinity of Dekijima Station on the Hanshin Namba Line. At that time, a large-scale railway expansion was also carried out in Osaka by the active policy of the Seiyukai. The Hoden Line opened 3 years later in 1924 (Taisho 13). The Hanshin Koshien...

Academic

Sunday, May 22 1921: the 11 th Japan Academy Awards ceremony was held

1921 (Taisho 10) On Sunday, May 22, the 11 th Japan Academy Awards ceremony was held at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. Zennosuke TSUJI (Study of the History of Japanese Buddhism) and Gennosuke FUSE (anatomical study of the brain) were rewarded. Hikoshichiro MATSUMOTO (study of starfish) and Kunikazu TAWARA (Research on Japanese swords) received the Imperial Academy Award. Yoshizumi TAWARA (study of puffer toxin) received Duke Katsura Memorial Prize. https://twitter.com/KoichiYoshizuka/status/1331696711530590210 Zennosuke TSUJI, who was famous for his study of Japanese Buddhist history, is also known for reevaluating Okitsugu TANUMA. He fairly evaluated the achievements of Tanuma, who had a strong image as a corrupt politician, and described him as...

Birthday

May 22 1921: Kim Jong-oh, a Korean General, was born

1921 (Taisho 10) Sunday, May 22 Kim Jong-oh, a Korean General, was born in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. While he was a student of the Faculty of Law at Chuo University in Japan, he went to war as a student and became an army lieutenant. After the war, he joined the Korean Army. In the Korean War, he was active in the Battle of Chuncheon and the Battle of Hakuba Highland. After the armistice, he served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Chief of the Army General Staff. He died at the age of 1966, 44. The Battle of Hakuba Highlands was one of the fierce battles...

Social

May 21, 1921: cigarettes “Air Ship” was sold.

On Saturday, May 21, 1921, (Taisho 10) a pack of 10 cigarettes consisting of 10 sen “Air Ship” was sold by the Monopoly Bureau. In 1910 (Meiji 43), it was named so as to reflect a growing interest in the sky as seen in the appearance of airplanes, and sold in a pack of 50. The superb package design of the airplane in the back of the mountain is popular. The price in 1938 (Showa 13) was 18 sen. After saying “I see. Thank you.” the husband sat in a corner and grabbed a handful of Air Ship brand cigarettes which he had taken into his earlobe, but he couldn’t...

Birthday

Friday, May 20 1921: Former Nissan Chairman Yutaka Kume was born.

1921 (Taisho 10) Friday, May 20 Former Nissan Chairman Yutaka Kume was born in Tokyo. After graduating from Tokyo Prefectural Sixth Junior High School (Current Metropolitan Shinjuku High School), he enrolled in the Department of Aeronautical Engines, Faculty of Engineering, Tokyo Imperial University, where he was involved in the manufacture and repair of military aircraft during World War II. After the war, he joined Nissan Motor Company in 1946 (Showa 21). After that, he served as General Manager of Engineering Department of Zama Plant and General Manager of Yoshiwara Plant. Kume became the president of Nissan Motors in 1985 (Showa 60). He led Nissan’s golden age in the bubble economy....

Birthday

Thursday, May 19 1921: Civil rights activist Yuri Kochiyama was born

1921 (Taisho 10) Thursday, May 19 Civil rights activist Yuri Kochiyama was born in San Pedro, California. Her father is Seiichi Nakahara, a fish merchant who immigrated from Japan, and her mother is Tsuyako Sawaguchi Nakahara, a piano teacher who graduated from university. The family was relatively wealthy, and Yuri grew up in an area with a lot of white people. However, when the Pacific War started, the family was detained for the incarceration of Japanese-Americans, and their lives changed completely. He loses his father, Seiichi, in custody. In 1946, she married Bill Kochiyama, a second-generation Japanese-American military man whom she met during her detention, and had 6 children. In...

Politics

Monday, May 16 1921: The 1st Eastern Conference held

1921 (Taisho 10) The 1st Eastern Conference was held on Monday, May 16. At that time, it was also called a colonial conference. For five days, officials in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Department of War, and the Department of the Navy were gathered to discuss policies related to East Asian diplomacy. Prime Minister Takashi Hara and Army Minister Giichi Tanaka will officially decide on their plan to withdraw troops from Siberia. The “Expedition to Siberia” was the last war before World War II when the government succeeded in withdrawing its troops from the military, and the government lost control over the military after that. April 8...

Birthday

Monday, May 16 1921: Professional wrestler Kinji Shibuya was born

1921 (Taisho 10) Monday, May 16 Professional wrestler Kinji Shibuya was born in Utah, the United States. He was raised in Los Angeles as a second-generation Japanese American, and played an active role as an offense guard of American football at Belmont High School. He also played as an American football player at the University of Hawaii in the Hula Bowl, an all-star game at the U.S. National University, and joined semi-pro teams such as the Honolulu Polar Bears and the Honolulu Warriors. In 1952, he was scouted by Shikina OKI and joined professional wrestling. The following year, he took on the NWA champion, Lou Thesz, and attracted attention. Active...

Politics

Sunday, May 15 1921: Crown Prince Hirohito visits British Prime Minister Lloyd George

1921 (Taisho 10) Sunday, May 15 Crown Prince Hirohito visits British Prime Minister Lloyd George during his visit to the UK. In the same year, I visited Chequers, which had just become the prime minister’s villa. Crown Prince Hirohito was the first to take the road to the entranceway. At that time, there was talk in Britain that the Anglo-Japanese Alliance should be scrapped, but on the surface the two countries were very friendly allies. Crown Prince Hirohito’s visit to the British prime minister’s villa Chequers was filmed by a film crew prepared by Prime Minister Lloyd George. It is a valuable material to show the appearance of Imperial Prince...

Academic

Saturday, May 14 1921: Dispute continues at Meiji University

1921 (Taisho 10) Saturday, May 14 A preparatory course competition is held at Meiji University, where campus strife continues. In December of the previous year, a dispute arose over the resignation of President Tomosaburo KINOSHITA. Both professors Etsujiro Uehara and Rinpu SASAGAWA were dismissed for instigating the students, and later the university authorities conceded and allowed the two to return to their posts, but the Ministry of Education did not allow them to do so this time. Students will become increasingly opposed to the Ministry of Education. Etsujiro UEHARA, a political scientist, insisted on the theory of sovereignty of the people, which was bold at that time and beyond the...