Yoshishige Abe (安倍 能成, Abe Yoshishige, 23 December 1883 – 7 June 1966) was a philosopher, educator, and statesman in Shōwa periodJapan. As Minister of Education in the immediate post-war era, he oversaw major reforms to the Japanese educational system.
From 1920, Abe worked as a professor at Hosei University; however, he toured Europe extensively and spent some time at Heidelberg University in 1924 where he studied Kantian philosophy. In 1926 he accepted a position at Keijō Imperial University in SeoulKorea, where he became interested in Korean culture and Korean literature. He travelled to China in 1929, visiting Jinan, Qufu and climbed Mount Tai, and noted the strong Japanese commercial presence throughout Shandong Province. He also visited Manchuria and noted the increasing Chinese presence in Harbin[1] Abe returned to mainland Japan in 1940, returning to his alma mater, the Daiichi High School in Tokyo. However, Abe soon ran afoul of the military authorities with his outspoken criticism of the military’s plans to cut short school curriculums to increase the numbers of conscripts, and of Prime MinisterFumimaro Konoe’s efforts to create a single-party state. Although occasionally harassed by the Kempeitai, he was not arrested.
After the end of World War II, Abe was appointed to a seat in the Upper House of the Diet of Japan in December 1945, and from January through March 1946 served as Minister of Education in the cabinet of Prime Minister Kijūrō Shidehara, where he oversaw the post-war reform of the Japanese educational system. He helped draft the Fundamental Law of Education, and the current Tōyō kanji and Modern kana usage guidelines. As Education Minister, he also stated that he felt it was fortunate that Japan had been occupied by America instead of the Soviet Union. From October 1946, he was principal of the Gakushuin Peers’ School – a post he held until his death in 1966.
Abe was a strong supporter of the anti-war movement in the late 1950s and early 1960s, but maintained a critical stance against post-war socialism, which he viewed as dangerous as pre-war militarism.
Abe died in Tokyo in 1966, but his grave is at the temple of Tōkei-ji in Kamakura.
ReferencesEdit
Shibata, Masako (2005). Japan and Germany under the US Occupation: A Comparative Analysis of the Post-War Education Reform. New York: The Macmillan Company. ISBN0739111493.
Frederic, Louis (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Harvard University Press. ISBN0674017536.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yoshishige Abe.
National Diet Library biography
NotesEdit
^Fogel, Joshua (1996). The Literature of travel in the Japanese Rediscovery of China 1862-1945. Stanford University Press. ISBN0804725675.
yoshishige, 安倍, 能成, yoshishige, december, 1883, june, 1966, philosopher, educator, statesman, shōwa, period, japan, minister, education, immediate, post, oversaw, major, reforms, japanese, educational, system, 安倍, 能成born, 1883, december, 1883matsuyama, ehime, . Yoshishige Abe 安倍 能成 Abe Yoshishige 23 December 1883 7 June 1966 was a philosopher educator and statesman in Shōwa period Japan As Minister of Education in the immediate post war era he oversaw major reforms to the Japanese educational system Yoshishige Abe安倍 能成Born 1883 12 23 December 23 1883Matsuyama Ehime JapanDiedJune 7 1966 1966 06 07 aged 82 Tokyo JapanResting placeTokei ji Kamakura JapanNationalityJapaneseAlma materTokyo Imperial UniversityOccupation s Educator politician cabinet ministerAwardsYomiuri Prize 1958 Contents 1 Biography 2 References 3 External links 4 NotesBiography EditAbe was born in Matsuyama Ehime Prefecture as the son of a doctor of Chinese medicine He graduated from Tokyo Imperial University and was a close associate of Natsume Sōseki Seiichi Hatano Kyoshi Takahama and Shigeo Iwanami although he was forced to return home to teach English in Matsuyama due to reduced family circumstances He later married the sister of Misao Fujimura While still a student he began writing literary criticism and was interested in the development of naturalism From 1920 Abe worked as a professor at Hosei University however he toured Europe extensively and spent some time at Heidelberg University in 1924 where he studied Kantian philosophy In 1926 he accepted a position at Keijō Imperial University in Seoul Korea where he became interested in Korean culture and Korean literature He travelled to China in 1929 visiting Jinan Qufu and climbed Mount Tai and noted the strong Japanese commercial presence throughout Shandong Province He also visited Manchuria and noted the increasing Chinese presence in Harbin 1 Abe returned to mainland Japan in 1940 returning to his alma mater the Daiichi High School in Tokyo However Abe soon ran afoul of the military authorities with his outspoken criticism of the military s plans to cut short school curriculums to increase the numbers of conscripts and of Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe s efforts to create a single party state Although occasionally harassed by the Kempeitai he was not arrested After the end of World War II Abe was appointed to a seat in the Upper House of the Diet of Japan in December 1945 and from January through March 1946 served as Minister of Education in the cabinet of Prime Minister Kijurō Shidehara where he oversaw the post war reform of the Japanese educational system He helped draft the Fundamental Law of Education and the current Tōyō kanji and Modern kana usage guidelines As Education Minister he also stated that he felt it was fortunate that Japan had been occupied by America instead of the Soviet Union From October 1946 he was principal of the Gakushuin Peers School a post he held until his death in 1966 Abe was a strong supporter of the anti war movement in the late 1950s and early 1960s but maintained a critical stance against post war socialism which he viewed as dangerous as pre war militarism Abe was awarded the Yomiuri Literary Prize in 1958 for his biography of Shigeo Iwanami In 1964 he was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure Abe died in Tokyo in 1966 but his grave is at the temple of Tōkei ji in Kamakura References EditShibata Masako 2005 Japan and Germany under the US Occupation A Comparative Analysis of the Post War Education Reform New York The Macmillan Company ISBN 0739111493 Frederic Louis 2002 Japan Encyclopedia Harvard University Press ISBN 0674017536 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yoshishige Abe National Diet Library biographyNotes Edit Fogel Joshua 1996 The Literature of travel in the Japanese Rediscovery of China 1862 1945 Stanford University Press ISBN 0804725675 Political officesPreceded byTamon Maeda Minister of Education13 Jan 1946 22 May 1946 Succeeded byKōtarō Tanaka Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yoshishige Abe amp oldid 1177568321, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
