Seigō Nakano

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Seigo Nakano statue located in Fukuoka City, Japan.
Seigo Nakano statue located in Fukuoka City, Japan.
In this Japanese name, the family name is Nakano.

Nakano Seigō (中野 正剛?) (12 February 1886, Fukuoka City–27 October 1943) was a Japanese political leader who advocated a fascist Japan to complete the Meiji Restoration.

Nakano sought to bring about a rebirth of Japan through a blend of the Samurai ethic, Neo-Confucianism, and populist nationalism modeled on European fascism. He saw Saigō Takamori as epitomizing the 'true spirit' of the Meiji ishin, and the task of modern Japan to recapture it.

Nakano formed the Kokumin Domei (National Alliance) with Adachi Kenzo in December of 1932. He left this group with a splinter group to form the Tōhōkai (Far East Society, see their flag here) in May of 1936.

In December of 1937, Nakano had a personal audience with Benito Mussolini. In the next month, he met with Adolf Hitler and Joachim Ribbentrop.

In January of 1939, Nakano gave a speech on the need for a totalitarian Japan. He argued against those who "say that neither fascism nor nazism are appropriate for our nation." He then distinguished between old-style, conservative, despotism, and a "Totalitarianism… based on essentials." Arguing against majority rule (as the majority "is the precise cause of contemporary decadence") and "an individualism which shows no concern for others", he calls for a "government going beyond democracy" giving consideration to "the essence of human beings." With organic unification of individuals "sharing common ideals and a common way of feeling," there can be formed "a perfect national organization."

On 16 February 1942, the British diplomats secretly proposed a peace deal with Japan. A possible agreement was that if Great Britain formally recognised the authority of Imperial Japan over Northern China and Manchuria, the Japanese would give Britain sovereignty over the Malay Peninsula and Singapore.

At the same time as this diplomatic movement, a political confrontation was in progress between the Tōhōkai party and the Kōdōha party. This was possibly the last internal political power struggle in the government before the Midway and Coral Sea defeats in 1943, which sent the Japanese military reeling.

The ultranationalist Tōhōkai party was led by Nakano Seigō who appeared to have some political influence at the time and expressed his outright support and confidence for Japanese Navy. He anxiously awaited the approval of the peace talks, so as to stabilize the recent conquests in Southeast Asia. Seigō also wanted to prevented any further sacrifices by the Japanese people towards the war effort, and pressured the government to halt the ambitious conquest of Asia.

On the other side was the largely pro-Imperialist faction, which represented the military interests of Japan and was led by General Hideki Tōjō. He displayed a completely different perspective over the issue. He reasoned that the successes in recent campaigns in Southeast Asia were extremely rapid, and continuation of the conquests could lead to gaining most of Asia and Australia before the United States and the Allies could react, to further develop the so-called Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere.

General Tōjō rejected any form of peace processes in the conquered lands and gave authorization for more conquests. This angered and frustrated the Tōhōkai until Seigō finally committed suicide on October 27, 1943. When Japan rejected such peace agreements, the Japanese Empire lost the opportunity to maintain their new territories in Southeast Asia in the long term. Japan was unable to reinforce the defensive infantries, which allowed the United States to launch counter-offensives by 1943.

Verbally critical of the Tōjō regime, Nakano was forbidden to publish articles or make public speeches. He committed seppuku in October of 1943 after being placed under house arrest.

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