Gōtarō Ogawa (小川郷太郎, Ogawa Gōtarō, 9 June 1876 – 1 April 1945) was an economist, educator, politician and cabinet minister in the pre-war Empire of Japan.
Ogawa was born in Satoshō, Okayama as the son of Murayama Kikuzo, but was adopted into a prominent family of doctors in Okayama. He graduated from Tokyo Imperial University Imperial College of Law in 1903 with honors, from the Department of Political Science, and obtained a post at the Ministry of Finance. However, the following year, he was recruited by Kyoto Imperial University, which had just established a Department of Economics, and was sent to Europe for six years to study public finance in Germany and Austria. On his return, he worked at Kyoto Imperial University as a professor of economics, specializing on the economic effects of war. In 1917, he was awarded a doctorate in law.
Ogawa then entered politics, winning a seat in the House of Representatives of Japan in the 1917 general election, and was subsequently re-elected to the same seat in the Okayama constituency a total of eight times. Initially with the Shinseikai, he later assisted in the formation of the Seiyu Hontō political party, subsequently serving as president of its policy research committee, and joined the Rikken Minseitō when the Seiyu Hontō merged with the Kenseikai.
Ogawa left Kyoto Imperial University in 1924 to accept the post of dean of Takushoku University. In 1929, he served as parliamentary under-secretary for Finance under the Hamaguchi administration.
In 1940 he served in the second Konoe administration as Railway Minister. After the start of World War II, in 1943, he took charge of the committee of internal affairs of the Taisei Yokusankai. However, later in 1943, he was invited to the nominally independent State of Burma by President Ba Maw as a special advisor on economics and finance. He spent the remainder of the war years in Burma, attempting to set the country on a secure footing through financial consolidation.
On April 1, 1945, while attempting to return to Japan, Ogawa was killed as a passenger on the Awa Maru, which was sunk by the US submarine USS Queenfish(SS-393) in the East China Sea despite its status as a hospital ship under Red Cross protection. In 1968, he was posthumously awarded with the Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class.
References
Dingman, Roger. (1997). Ghost of War: The Sinking of the Awa Maru and Japanese-American Relations, 1945-1995. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN978-1-55750-159-2; OCLC 37315278
Iguchi, Haruo. Unfinished Business: Ayukawa Yoshisuke and U.S.-Japan Relations, 1937-1953. Harvard University Asia Center (2003) ISBN0674003748
gōtarō, ogawa, 小川郷太郎, ogawa, gōtarō, june, 1876, april, 1945, economist, educator, politician, cabinet, minister, empire, japan, 小川郷太郎born, 1876, june, 1876satoshō, okayama, japandiedapril, 1945, 1945, aged, east, china, seanationalityjapaneseoccupation, educa. Gōtarō Ogawa 小川郷太郎 Ogawa Gōtarō 9 June 1876 1 April 1945 was an economist educator politician and cabinet minister in the pre war Empire of Japan Gōtarō Ogawa 小川郷太郎Born 1876 06 09 June 9 1876Satoshō Okayama JapanDiedApril 1 1945 1945 04 01 aged 68 East China SeaNationalityJapaneseOccupation s educator politician cabinet ministerBackground EditOgawa was born in Satoshō Okayama as the son of Murayama Kikuzo but was adopted into a prominent family of doctors in Okayama He graduated from Tokyo Imperial University Imperial College of Law in 1903 with honors from the Department of Political Science and obtained a post at the Ministry of Finance However the following year he was recruited by Kyoto Imperial University which had just established a Department of Economics and was sent to Europe for six years to study public finance in Germany and Austria On his return he worked at Kyoto Imperial University as a professor of economics specializing on the economic effects of war In 1917 he was awarded a doctorate in law Ogawa then entered politics winning a seat in the House of Representatives of Japan in the 1917 general election and was subsequently re elected to the same seat in the Okayama constituency a total of eight times Initially with the Shinseikai he later assisted in the formation of the Seiyu Hontō political party subsequently serving as president of its policy research committee and joined the Rikken Minseitō when the Seiyu Hontō merged with the Kenseikai Ogawa left Kyoto Imperial University in 1924 to accept the post of dean of Takushoku University In 1929 he served as parliamentary under secretary for Finance under the Hamaguchi administration In 1936 Prime Minister Kōki Hirota asked that Ogawa accept the post of Minister of Commerce and Industry In this position he opposed many of the ministry bureaucrats who were pushing towards increased state control over the economy and forced a number including Nobusuke Kishi to resign 1 In 1940 he served in the second Konoe administration as Railway Minister After the start of World War II in 1943 he took charge of the committee of internal affairs of the Taisei Yokusankai However later in 1943 he was invited to the nominally independent State of Burma by President Ba Maw as a special advisor on economics and finance He spent the remainder of the war years in Burma attempting to set the country on a secure footing through financial consolidation On April 1 1945 while attempting to return to Japan Ogawa was killed as a passenger on the Awa Maru which was sunk by the US submarine USS Queenfish SS 393 in the East China Sea despite its status as a hospital ship under Red Cross protection In 1968 he was posthumously awarded with the Order of the Rising Sun 3rd class References EditDingman Roger 1997 Ghost of War The Sinking of the Awa Maru and Japanese American Relations 1945 1995 Annapolis Naval Institute Press ISBN 978 1 55750 159 2 OCLC 37315278 Iguchi Haruo Unfinished Business Ayukawa Yoshisuke and U S Japan Relations 1937 1953 Harvard University Asia Center 2003 ISBN 0674003748Notes Edit Iguchi Unfinished Business Page 28 30 Political officesPreceded byTakukichi Kawasaki Minister of Commerce and IndustryMar 1936 Feb 1937 Succeeded byTakuo GodōPreceded byShōzō Murata Railway MinisterSept 1940 July 1941 Succeeded byShōzō Murata Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gōtarō Ogawa amp oldid 1002491753, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
