Uchida Kōsai

Uchida Kōsai
内田 康哉
Prime Minister of Japan
Acting
In office
24 August 1923  2 September 1923
Monarch Taishō
Hirohito (Regent)
Preceded by Katō Tomosaburō
Succeeded by Yamamoto Gonnohyōe
In office
4 November 1921  13 November 1921
Monarch Taishō
Preceded by Hara Takashi
Succeeded by Takahashi Korekiyo
Personal details
Born (1865-11-17)17 November 1865
Yatsushiro, Tokugawa (now Japan)
Died 12 March 1936(1936-03-12) (aged 70)
Tokyo, Japan
Political party Independent
Alma mater Doshisha University
Tokyo Imperial University

Count Uchida Kōsai (内田 康哉, 17 November 1865 – 12 March 1936) was a statesman, diplomat and interim prime minister, active in Meiji, Taishō and Shōwa period Japan. He was also known as Uchida Yasuya.

Biography

Uchida was born in what is now Yatsushiro city, Kumamoto Prefecture, as the son of the domain's doctor. After studying English for two years at Doshisha University, Uchida moved to Tokyo Imperial University, graduating from its law school.

After graduation, Uchida entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and served as ambassador to Qing dynasty China, then as ambassador to Austria-Hungary, and then to the United States. He served as Japanese foreign minister from 1911 to 1912 under the 2nd Saionji Kinmochi administration.

Appointed as ambassador to the Empire of Russia just before the Bolshevik Revolution, Uchida returned to Japan to serve as Foreign Minister again from 1918 to 1923 under the Hara, Takahashi, and Katō administrations. He served as acting Prime Minister of Japan twice – once after the assassination of Prime Minister Hara, and again after the sudden death of Prime Minister Katō, immediately before the Great Kantō earthquake.

He was appointed to the House of Peers in the Diet of Japan in 1930, and became President of the South Manchuria Railway company in 1931.

Under his third term as Foreign Minister, from 1932 to 1933, during the Saitō Makoto administration, he called for the formal diplomatic recognition of Manchukuo, and later called for Japan's withdrawal from the League of Nations. He was featured on the cover of Time, 5 September 1932 edition, which also contained an article on his stance vis-à-vis the League of Nations. He died of illness 15 days after the 26 February Incident. His grave is at the Tama Reien at Fuchu, Tokyo.

References

Political offices
Preceded by
Komura Jutarō
Minister of Foreign Affairs
1911–1912
Succeeded by
Katsura Tarō
Preceded by
Gotō Shinpei
Minister of Foreign Affairs
1918–1923
Succeeded by
Yamamoto Gonnohyōe
Preceded by
Hara Takashi
Prime Minister of Japan
Acting

1921
Succeeded by
Takahashi Korekiyo
Preceded by
Hara Takashi
Acting
Minister of the Navy
1921
Succeeded by
Takahashi Korekiyo
Acting
Preceded by
Katō Tomosaburō
Prime Minister of Japan
Acting

1923
Succeeded by
Yamamoto Gonnohyōe
Preceded by
Saitō Makoto
Minister of Foreign Affairs
1932–1933
Succeeded by
Hirota Kōki
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