Background
Shigeru Yoshida was born on 22 September 1878 in Tokyo, he was the fifth son of Takeuchi Tsuna, a noted leader of the Jiyutd (Liberal Party) from Kochi, but later was adopted by a trading merchant named Yoshida Kenzo.
吉田 茂
Shigeru Yoshida was born on 22 September 1878 in Tokyo, he was the fifth son of Takeuchi Tsuna, a noted leader of the Jiyutd (Liberal Party) from Kochi, but later was adopted by a trading merchant named Yoshida Kenzo.
In 1906 he graduated from the political science course of Tokyo Imperial University and entered the Foreign Ministry.
He was assigned to positions in the consulates in England, Italy, and China and in 1925 was appointed Japanese consul in Mukden. He played an active role in the Toho Kaigi, a meeting called to discuss Japan s China policy, and advocated strong measures in dealing with the Chinese warlord Chang Tso-lin.
In 1928 he became vice-minister of foreign affairs in the Tanaka Giichi cabinet and later served as ambassador to England and Italy. During this period, he was considered as a candidate for the post of foreign minister in the cabinet of Hirota Koki, but he was rejected by the militarists, because he was considered too liberal and pro-British and American in his views.
Towards the end of the Pacific War, he joined with the former prime minister Konoe Fumimaro in attempts to arrange a peace settlement, but these ended in failure, and Yoshida was for a time taken into custody by the military police.
In 1945, after the conclusion of the war, he was appointed foreign minister in the Higashikuni-no-miya Naruhiko cabinet and remained in that post in the Shidehara Kijuro cabinet that followed shortly after. In 1946 the Liberal Party emerged as the victor in the general elections, but its leader, Hato- yama Ichiro, was ordered by the Occupation authorities to be purged from political activities. Yoshida thereupon succeeded him as president of the Liberal Party and formed his first cabinet. In matters of foreign policy he was obliged to negotiate all matters with General MacArthur and the other Occupation authorities, while in internal affairs he was threatened by the growing power of the Socialist and Communist parties. Although he did his best to strengthen and unify the conservative forces, he was often overridden by left-wing elements. When the Socialists emerged victor in the 1947 elections, he declared his intention of leading a healthy opposition party and stepped down from power. In 1948, after the fall of the Ashida Hitoshi cabinet, he returned to office, forming his second cabinet with himself in the post of prime minister and foreign minister. He remained as head of the government until 1953, forming five cabinets in all.
While he succeeded in ending the Occupation and securing Japan’s independence, he at the same time set up the Police Reserve Force, the forerunner of the Self-Defense Forces. Meanwhile, a fierce struggle for the presidency of the Liberal Party developed between him and Hatoyama Ichiro, who had been depurged.
In 1953, the anti-Yoshida faction in the Liberal Party succeeded in putting through a motion to enforce disciplinary measures against him, and he was obliged to relinquish the post of prime minister. He thereafter withdrew from the political arena, but continued to maintain close connections with the political leaders of the time.
On his death in 1967 he was given a state funeral.
He was noted for his humor and skill in conversation.
He was married to the eldest daughter of the statesman Makino Nobuaki.