Jiichirō Matsumoto (松本 治一郎 Matsumoto Jiichirō) (June 18, 1887 - November 22, 1966 (aged 79)) was a famous Japanese politician and businessman with origins from Fukuoka Prefecture. He was undoubtedly leader of burakumin liberation movement from the early beginning of it and was called "buraku liberation father" in Buraku Liberation League.
Contents |
Matsumoto was born in Chikushi District, Fukuoka Prefecture, which is part of the modern city of Fukuoka. His parents were burakumin. In 1900, after graduating Sumiyoshi elementary school, Kasuya junior high school, and Kanjō junior high school under the prewar system in Tokyo, he dropped out of Dalian High school.
In 1907 he was earning for living as a street fortune-teller and quack doctor. In 1910 he was sent back home by the enforcement of consul general.
In 1911 he established the Matsumoto Company, which engaged in civil engineering and heavy construction. The company was immediately destroyed by the toughest members of the Kyūshū Yakuza Clan.
In 1921, the Chikuzenkyō Revolutionary Group was organized.
The same year, during the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the first Fukuoka daimyo Kuroda Nagamasa, the protest movement, organized by Matsumoto, was raised up, and celebration turned into "voluntary donation from non-discriminated descendants against forms of discrimination" under enforcement.
In 1923, Matsumoto became chairman of Kyūshū Levelers Association (九州水平社 Kyūshū Suiheisha).
In 1925, he assumed the office of National Levelers Association (全国水平社 Zenkoku Suiheisha) as chairman of committee.
Having strong ideas of equality between people across the country, Matsumoto organized the strife of not giving the title of nobility to Iesato Tokugawa. Later, after case of mysterious assassination of Iesato Tokugawa, Matsumoto was found guilty in attempted assassination and imprisoned for 4 months in 1927. Yet, people who were at the background of this case, were burned to ashes at the Tokugawa residence later.
In 1926, Matsumoto lead an impeachment strife against the Fukuoka Regiment Discrimination. In 1929, he was imprisoned without clear reasons for the second time, for 3 years 6 months.
In 1936, he became a member of the House of Representatives (was elected for the third time).
In 1942 he was elected by recommendation to Taisei Yokusankai (大政翼賛会 Imperial Rule Assistance Association or Imperial Aid Association). This was a governmental camouflage, because Ichirō Hatoyama in fact didn't write any recommendations, but this election was a good excuse for banishment Matsumoto's public offices.
In 1946 he became a chairman of The Buraku Liberation League (部落解放同盟 Buraku Kaihō Dōmei), and from 1947 - the member of Parliament. The same year he was elected as vice-chairman of the House of Councilors. He was known among the people as a leftist leader. Yet, he is well-known for saying about himself "I became a chairman despite of burakumin origins. Socialists hold the majority in the House of Representatives and in the House of Concilors, and in order to Komakichi Matsuoka to win, they've chosen me."
In 1948, being a vice-chairman of the House of Councilors, he made a refusal to the Emperor's audience in the case known as "The Sideways Scuttle of a Crab". After that his public offices were banished, and banishement was cancelled in 1951.
In 1953 Matsumoto became a chairman of Japan-China Amity Association (日中友好協会 Nicchyuyukokyokai).
Till his death in 1966, Matsumoto continued buraku liberation activities.
During his stay in Dalien, Matsumoto worked as a quack doctor under the title of "first class army surgeon of Great Japan". In the book Matsumoto Jiichirō's Biography the following was written: "abandoned by modern medical care were welcomed"[1], and there are recordings that "If Matsumoto was critical about aggression of Japanese imperialists against China, he wouldn't had proclaimed himself as 'first class army surgeon of Great Japan'"; and some criticism of his activities: "He earned for living getting cash from 'treatment' of Chinese people. Mistaken 'treatment' quite frequently took one's life. Matsumoto did this fraud and swindling in China, but he never did it in Japan"[2]. Although Matsumoto said in the next years: "I cannot do percussion and auscultation, but even now I have great self-confidence in visual examination"[3].
In 1942 when Matsumoto's candidacy was elected to Taisei Yokusankai according to the recommendation, campaign bulletin had the following greetings: "Stream of blood for the Country!", "Overthrow America in the fight till death, destroy the Anglo-Saxons domination the world; in unity of hundreds in one nation, and young and aged, united with gunfire, despite of hardship, leading to completion of invincible victory!"[4]
On June 14, 1943, Matsumoto was one of organizers of imperialistic members group called "Eight Days Committee"[5], Seigō Nakano and Satoshi Akao were both present at the inaugural meeting when "encouragement speech" took a place[6]. The creeds of "Eight Days Committee" were used at the early beginning of the Pacific War: "Let our every action show the real meaning of the national polity!", "Let's fight remembering our Emperor has a faith we will win!" etc. Though Matsumoto did everything supporting was activities, including budget agreements[7], after the defeat he suddenly shifted to other side and rejected militarism: "I've been always fighting for equality, revealing antiwar movements creeds I always knew about the defeat"[8], "I have always had antiwar ideals", "I am for anti-militarism and democracy"[9].
On January 1953, in Yangon, Burma, at the welcoming citizens mass meeting, Matsumoto performed a speech as a representative of Social Democratic Party (leftist). Then he said "Japan is not only rapidly economic developing country, but on the other hand, thanks to imperial fascism, we sacrificed many countries to that was, which came to us like Devil. Of cource, our socialists were against this war, ..."[10] — saying this Matsumoto probably lied about his war collaboration.