Sen Katayama (片山 潜, Katayama Sen, December 26, 1859 – November 5, 1933), born Yabuki Sugataro (藪木 菅太郎, Yabuki Sugatarō), was an early Japanese Marxist political activist and journalist, one of the original members of the American Communist Party and co-founder, in 1922, of the Japanese Communist Party. After 1884, he spent most of his life abroad, especially in the United States and the Soviet Union, where he was very active in the international socialist community, and after 1920, the communist community. Katayama had a weak base inside Japan, and was little known there. However, in the rest of the world, he was widely hailed as a leading spokesman for the Japanese socialist and communist movements.[1]
Sugataro Yabuki was the second son born to Kunizo and Kichi Yabuki in 1859 in the Hadeki district of what would later become Japan's Okayama Prefecture. He was adopted by the Katayama family at nineteen and adopted the name Sen Katayama, becoming the Katayama's "first son", after his birth mother was deserted by her husband. The adoption avoided Katayama's conscription and allowed him to continue his education. In his autobiographyJiden (自伝), Katayama admitted that he was fortunate not to have been the first born in his birth family, as it saved him from some of the responsibilities that burdened some of his acquaintances.
Katayama returned to Japan in 1896 and from 1897 to 1901 edited Labour World (労働世界, Rōdō Sekai), the organ of the Iron Workers' Union (鉄工組合) and Trade Unions' Federation (労働組合期成会) and Japan's first socialist party. He returned to America in 1903 at the urging of Iwasaki to look into rice-farming opportunities. During this trip he attended the Second International Socialist Congress in Amsterdam where he gained recognition for shaking hands with the Russian delegate, G. V. Plekhanov, in a gesture of amity between the Russian and Japanese peoples, despite the then-ongoing Russo-Japanese War.
Katayama Sen, 1925
In 1904 he attended an American Socialist Partyconvention in Chicago. He settled in Texas and his main business became rice farming. =When his crop failed he became employed by a Japanese restaurant owner in Houston, Tsunekichi Okasaki, who bought 10,202 acres (41.29 km2) of land in Texas with the plan that Katayama farm it. In late 1905, the two borrowed $100,000 from Iwasaki to fund the rice harvest, together forming a "Nippon Kono Kabushiki Kaisha" (Japan Farming Company) to develop the project, making Katayama managing director. However, the company quickly dissolved, reputedly over Katayama's socialist leanings, and he returned to Japan in 1907, rejoined the socialist movement, and pursued a career in journalism.
Postage stamp issued in the USSR in 1967, with a portrait of Sen Katayama (1859-1933).
He was arrested and jailed for his participation in the Tokyo Streetcar Strike of 1912, and after his release he left for California. Attracted by the success of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917–1918, Katayama became an active communist and an officer for the Communist International. He travelled to Mexico and later to Moscow, where he was hailed as a leader of the Japanese communist movement. He remained in the Soviet Union until his death on November 5, 1933, and his ashes buried in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis in Red Square.
Personal life
Katayama had two children by his first wife, Fude, who died in 1903, and another daughter by his second wife, Hari Tama, whom he married in 1907.
Works
The Labor Movement in Japan. Chicago: Charles H. Kerr & Co., 1918.
Japan and Soviet Russia, The People's Russian Information Bureau, 1919.
^James C. Doherty, Historical Dictionary of Socialism (1997) pp. 140–141.
Further reading
Kublin, Hyman; Asian Revolutionary: The Life of Sen Katayama, (Princeton University Press, 1964).
Orii, Kazuhiko and Conroy, Hilary; "Japanese Socialist in Texas: Sen Katayama, 1904–1907", Amerasia Journal 8 (1981).
Handbook of Texas Short Biography
Sawada, Mitziko; Tokyo Life, New York Dreams: Urban Japanese Visions of America, 1890–1924, (University of California Press, 1996) chapter
External links
Sen Katayama Archive at Marxists Internet Archive
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Katayama Sen.
January 19, 2023
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Sen Katayama news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Sen Katayama 片山 潜 Katayama Sen December 26 1859 November 5 1933 born Yabuki Sugataro 藪木 菅太郎 Yabuki Sugatarō was an early Japanese Marxist political activist and journalist one of the original members of the American Communist Party and co founder in 1922 of the Japanese Communist Party After 1884 he spent most of his life abroad especially in the United States and the Soviet Union where he was very active in the international socialist community and after 1920 the communist community Katayama had a weak base inside Japan and was little known there However in the rest of the world he was widely hailed as a leading spokesman for the Japanese socialist and communist movements 1 Sen Katayama藪木 菅太郎BornYabuki Sugatarō26 December 1859Okayama Okayama Prefecture JapanDied5 November 1933 aged 73 Moscow Russian SFSR Soviet UnionResting placeKremlin Wall Necropolis MoscowEducationOka Juku preparatory school Grinnell College Andover Theological Seminary Yale Divinity SchoolMaryville CollegeOccupation s Rice farmer journalist printer s apprentice newspaper editorKnown forCo founder of the Japanese Communist Party Early member of the Communist Party USA Criminal chargesParticipation in the 1912 Tokyo Streetcar StrikeSpouse s Fude Hari Tama Children3 childrenParent s Kunizo Yabuki Kichi Yabuki Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Works 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksEarly life and education EditSugataro Yabuki was the second son born to Kunizo and Kichi Yabuki in 1859 in the Hadeki district of what would later become Japan s Okayama Prefecture He was adopted by the Katayama family at nineteen and adopted the name Sen Katayama becoming the Katayama s first son after his birth mother was deserted by her husband The adoption avoided Katayama s conscription and allowed him to continue his education In his autobiography Jiden 自伝 Katayama admitted that he was fortunate not to have been the first born in his birth family as it saved him from some of the responsibilities that burdened some of his acquaintances Katayama Sen 25 years old In 1878 Katayama travelled to Tokyo to apprentice as a printer while he studied at a small preparatory school the Oka Juku where he formed a friendship with Iwasaki Kiyoshichi 岩崎清七 nephew of one of the founders of Mitsubishi Iwasaki s departure for Yale University inspired Katayama to work his way to the United States Katayama attended Grinnell College from which he graduated in 1892 proceeding to the Andover Theological Seminary and then to Yale Divinity School During this period Katayama became a Christian and a socialist Before attending Grinnell Katayama attended Maryville College in Maryville Tennessee Career EditKatayama returned to Japan in 1896 and from 1897 to 1901 edited Labour World 労働世界 Rōdō Sekai the organ of the Iron Workers Union 鉄工組合 and Trade Unions Federation 労働組合期成会 and Japan s first socialist party He returned to America in 1903 at the urging of Iwasaki to look into rice farming opportunities During this trip he attended the Second International Socialist Congress in Amsterdam where he gained recognition for shaking hands with the Russian delegate G V Plekhanov in a gesture of amity between the Russian and Japanese peoples despite the then ongoing Russo Japanese War Katayama Sen 1925 In 1904 he attended an American Socialist Party convention in Chicago He settled in Texas and his main business became rice farming When his crop failed he became employed by a Japanese restaurant owner in Houston Tsunekichi Okasaki who bought 10 202 acres 41 29 km2 of land in Texas with the plan that Katayama farm it In late 1905 the two borrowed 100 000 from Iwasaki to fund the rice harvest together forming a Nippon Kono Kabushiki Kaisha Japan Farming Company to develop the project making Katayama managing director However the company quickly dissolved reputedly over Katayama s socialist leanings and he returned to Japan in 1907 rejoined the socialist movement and pursued a career in journalism Postage stamp issued in the USSR in 1967 with a portrait of Sen Katayama 1859 1933 He was arrested and jailed for his participation in the Tokyo Streetcar Strike of 1912 and after his release he left for California Attracted by the success of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 1918 Katayama became an active communist and an officer for the Communist International He travelled to Mexico and later to Moscow where he was hailed as a leader of the Japanese communist movement He remained in the Soviet Union until his death on November 5 1933 and his ashes buried in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis in Red Square Personal life EditKatayama had two children by his first wife Fude who died in 1903 and another daughter by his second wife Hari Tama whom he married in 1907 Works EditThe Labor Movement in Japan Chicago Charles H Kerr amp Co 1918 Japan and Soviet Russia The People s Russian Information Bureau 1919 See also EditShinkigenReferences Edit James C Doherty Historical Dictionary of Socialism 1997 pp 140 141 Further reading EditKublin Hyman Asian Revolutionary The Life of Sen Katayama Princeton University Press 1964 Orii Kazuhiko and Conroy Hilary Japanese Socialist in Texas Sen Katayama 1904 1907 Amerasia Journal 8 1981 Handbook of Texas Short Biography Sawada Mitziko Tokyo Life New York Dreams Urban Japanese Visions of America 1890 1924 University of California Press 1996 chapterExternal links EditSen Katayama Archive at Marxists Internet Archive Wikimedia Commons has media related to Katayama Sen Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sen Katayama amp oldid 1129066637, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
