[history] Military Revolts in Prewar Japan
Ann Ou
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From: leon...@nt.com (Leon Z. Lee)
Org: Northern Telecom Inc., Richardson, Texas
A few months ago, there was an uproar in Japan over a newspaper article
written by a Japanese military officer. This officer was Major Shinsaku
Yanai: Instructor at the Anti-Aircraft Artillery School of the
Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force.
Maj. Yanai vehemently opposed the failure of the Japanese Public Prosecutor
for failing to press corruption charges against the powerful Parliamentary
member: Shin Kanemura. Yanai continued by stating that when the mechanism of
democracy fails to reflect the true spirit of public indignation... then
the Japanese military must absolve its responsibilities to the State
and protect the Constitution. In order to bring this about... military
overthrows may be a necessary evil. Ofcourse... Maj. Yanai was immediately
denounced by the Japanese political elites for his stance.
However, it should be noted that military rebellions have been a
viable means of struggle against the entrenched political elites throughout
Japanese history. The upheavals of the 1930s offered the best examples of
these coup d'etat in action.
[1] Manchurian Incident (Sangatsu Jiken) of March 1931
1st major attempt by military and right-wing civilians to support
the advance of the Japanese Kwantung Army into Manchuria.
Participants included: Senior Army officers, Sakurai-kai,
Taishu-sha, Kita Ikki, Tsukui Tatsuo, Tokugawa Yoshichika
Planned to overthrow the civilian government and install
Gen. Ugaki as head of the cabinet. Tokyo garrison would be
mobilized to force the dissolution of the Diet.
Plan collapsed when Gen. Ugaki refused to join the conspiracy.
No punitive actions where taken against the conspirators, the
incident was covered up.
[2] Imperial Flag Revolution (Kinki Kakumei) of October 1931
Attempt to proclaim the Showa Restoration. Install a new
cabinet that would pursue a more militaristic posture against
China in Manchuria.
Participants included: Junior Army officers, Sakura-kai, Nishida Zei,
Akamatsu Katsumaro.
Planned to enlist the cooperation of the Imperial Guards Division,
assassinate all members of the top government during a cabinet
meeting by means of aerial bombing. Storm and occupy the Tokyo
Metro HQ, assassinate top Imperial advisers close to Hirohito,
install a military cabinet under Gen. Araki.
Plans were leaked to the government whereby the Army conspirators
were arrested, the civilian conspirators were not arrested.
Military conspirators were given a mild reprimand and transferred to
other units.
[3] Blood Pledge Corps Incident (ketsumeidan Jiken) of Mar. 1932
Ring-wing fanatics from Japan's agrarian sector wanted to seek
vengeance on the political elite for the plight of nation's
rural population in the midst of the world depression.
Participants included: Blood Pledge Corps, Inoue Nissho, Konuma
Tadashi, Hishinuma Goro, Furuuchi Eiji.
They selected 20 people who were elites in Japan's business and
political arena. On Feb. 9, 1932... Finance Minister Inoue
Junnosuke was killed. On March 6, 1932...Baron Dan Takuma of
Mitsui Company was killed. Police arrested the group before more
assassinations.
Inoue Nissho and other ring leaders were given prison sentences,
but they were all released before completing their terms.
[4] May 15th Incident (Goichigo Jiken) of 1932
Junior military officers, in cooperation with the Blood Pledge Corps,
attempted to overthrow the government. Their goal was similar to the
March 1932 incident and to proclaim the Showa Restoration.
Participants included: Lt. Koga Kiyoshi, Lt. Mikami Taku, Junior
Naval officers, Army cadet officers, Okawa Shumei, the Jimmu
Society, Tachibana Kosaburo, Aikyo Juku association, Homma Kenichiro,
Toyama Hidezo.
Prime Minister Inukai was killed by Lt. Koga and other military
conspirators. Seiyu Kai party HQ, Tokyo Metro Police HQ, Mitsubishi
bank were bombed, Tachibana and his conspirators bombed surrounding
power stations. Coup collapsed due to lack of support from regular
Army units.
Tachibana, Okawa, Homma, Mikami and other conspirators were
sentenced to prison, but all were released by 1940 before their
terms expired.
[5] Heaven-Sent Soldiers' Unit Incident (Shimpeitai Jiken) of July 1933
Goals similar to May 15th Incident with a more large-scale attempt.
Participants included: Com. Yamaguchi Saburo (brother of Inoue Nissho),
Dai Nihon Seisan-to party, Suzuki Zenichi, Kageyama Masaharu,
Amano Tatsuo, Maeda Torao, Nakayama Takeshi, Naito Hikokichi (head of
Matsuya Dept. Stores).
Planned to storm building where Inoue Nissho and other ultra-
nationalists were being held, bomb the Prime Minister's residence,
assassinate the entire Cabinet, kill Gen. Araki, Count Makino,
and install Prince Higashikuni or Prince Chichibu as Prime Minister.
Plans leaked to Police.. all conspirators were arrested. The government
released no details of the incident for 2 years, trials did not open
until 1937. In 1941, sentence was passed down in which all conspirators
were then given immediate remission.
[6] Officer's School Incident (Shikan Gakko Jiken) of Nov. 1934
Plot to assassinate Prime Minister and other cabinet officials by
the Imperial Way faction (Kodo-ha).
Participants included: Junior officers from Tokyo War College,
cadets from Tokyo Military Academy, Gen. Mazaki Jinsaburo.
Plans leaked to the Ministry of War, which subsequently arrested
the conspirators. The incident were covered up until after the
war. Ring-leaders were suspended from active military duty, but
were not court-martialled.
[7] Imperial Capital Rebellion (Teito Haran) of Feb. 1936
The largest military rebellion of Prewar Japan involving 1,500
men of the Imperial Army's 1st Division, led by Junior Officers
belonging to the Imperial Way faction.
Their plan was to destroy their rival faction in the Imperial
Army led by Senior officers called the Control faction (Tosei-ha).
Assassinate top military and civilian leaders, effect political
and economic reforms along socialistic lines, and proclaim the
Showa restoration.
Participants included: Junior Army Officers, Gen. Mazaki Jinsaburo,
Adm. Mazaki Katsuji, Kita Ikki, Nishida Zei, Ishihara Koichiro,
Kuhara Fusanosuke.
The results were Lord Keeper of Privy Seal Saito Makoto killed.
Finance Minister Takahashi Korekiyo killed. Inspector General
of Military Education Gen. Watanabe Jotaro killed. Grand Chamberlain
Baron Suzuki Kantaro wounded. Prime Minister Okada and Count Makino
escaped. Prince Saionji was spared.
Asahi Newspaper HQ was attacked. Insurgents stationed themselves
in the Chiyoda distrinct of Tokyo. Martial Law was proclaimed
for 3 days as various factions within the government struggled
for control over the Emperor. Emperor Hirohito issued a
direct order for the rebels to lay down their arms.
13 Junior Army officers and 4 civilian leaders were quickly given secret
trials and executed. Gen. Mazaki was court-martialled but acquitted.
Adm. Mazaki was removed from active military service.
[8] Imperial Sympathizers Uprising (Shichigo Jiken) of July 1940
Plot similar to the July 1933 incident.
Participants included: Maeda Torao, Kageyama Masaharu, and the
Daito Juku society.
They planned to assassinate Prime Minister Yonai and other leaders,
then set up a new government in line with Imperial Way faction (kodo-
ha).
Plans leaked to the Police, all were arrested, ring leaders given
short prison terms, incident covered-up by the government.
Well... hope these historical facts were informative.
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Leon Z. Lee
Private Networks Internet: leon...@nt.com
Dallas Area Information Systems UUCP: texsun!milo!zeta!zing
Northern Telecom Inc. Phone: (214) 684-4680
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