Senjuro Hayashi

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Senjuro Hayashi

Senjuro Hayashi (林銑十郎 Hayashi Senjūrō, February 23, 1876–February 4, 1943) was Imperial Japanese Army commander of the Chosun Army in Korea during the Mukden Incident and the invasion of Manchuria, and a Japanese politician and the 33rd Prime Minister of Japan from February 2, 1937 to June 4, 1937.

Born in Ishikawa Prefecture, Senjuro Hayashi's first major command from 1918 to 1920 was as commanding officer of the 57th Regiment, followed by a time in 1921 attached to the Technical Research Headquarters and as an acting Military Investigator. From 1921 to 1923 he was the head of the Preparatory Course, at the Military Academy, followed by a time attached to the Inspectorate-General of Military Training. From 1923 to 1924 he was the Army Representative to the League of Nations, followed by another stint attached to the Inspectorate-General of Military Training from 1924 to 1925.

In 1925 Hayashi became the commanding Officer of the 2nd Brigade. In 1926 he was made Commandant of the Tokyo Bay Fortress. In 1927 he became the Commandant of the War College, followed in 1928 as Deputy Inspector-General of Military Training. Finally in 1929 he became the General Officer Commanding the Imperial Guards Division.

In 1930, Lieutenant-General Senjuro Hayashi, was made Commander in Chief of the Chosen Army, in Korea. On the day after the Mukden Incident on September 19th, he ordered the IJA 20th Division to split its force, forming the 39th Mixed Brigade. The Japanese cabinet, however, disagreed with the army, suspecting that the Mukden Incident was a conspiracy by Japanese army officers. Without authorization by the emperor, Hayashi ordered the 39th Mixed Brigade to depart that same day for Manchuria. The cabinet finally conceded the point to the military and the movement of the 39th Mixed Brigade from Korea was authorized on September 22nd.

Following his command in Korea, Hayashi was made Inspector-General of Military Training and Supreme War Council from 1932 to 1934. From 1934 to 1935 Hayashi was Minister of War, and from 1935 to 1936 again member of the Supreme War Council.

Hayashi was a supporter of Sadao Araki, along with Shigeru Honjo who was commander of the Kwantung Army. The Toseiha faction within the Imperial Japanese Army scored a victory in January 1934 when General Araki was forced to step down, after the excesses of the Kwantung Army, and his replacement was one of their own, General Hayashi. The struggle between the factions (Toseiha and Kodaha) continued below the surface of the government; and the war in North China carried on apace until February of 1936.

He also promoted Fumimaro Konoye's doctrines, as a "right-winger" amongst the militarists, who approved of the "fiction" of democracy, and the Emperor's role with an "adviser group", againsy "left-winger" radical militarists. The latter, led by Kingoro Hashimoto, wanted a Military Shogunate (under the patronage of Baron Hiranuma).

In 1938 Hayashi retired from the military and became Prime Minister of Japan in 1937. Later from 1940 to 1941 he was a Privy Councillor. He died in 1943.

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