Photo: Shigenobu Ōkuma
as a young man
Shigenobu Ōkuma, the founder of Waseda University, was born on March 11, 1838 (February 16, 1838 on the Tenpō calendar, a lunar-solar calendar) as the first son of Nobuyasu Ōkuma, a samurai of the Saga han (feudal domain), and his wife, Miiko (the future Shigenobu Ōkuma was given the childhood name “Hachitarō”). Young Ōkuma studied at the Kōdōkan, a school for sons of samurai families in Saga, but he reacted negatively to the Hagakure (Hidden leaves) samurai philosophy peculiar to Saga han (feudal domain) and he was expelled from the Kōdōkan. Ōkuma matriculated in a Rangakuryō, a school for the studies of the Dutch language, Western history, science and military tactics, and he mastered Rangaku, Dutch learning. Also, Ōkuma went to Nagasaki, he was greatly influenced by Guido H. F. Verbeck, a Dutch missionary from the United States who taught him about the New Testament and the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Upon the Meiji Restoration, together with Taneomi Soejima, Ōkuma left the Saga han and became a ronin, a masterless samurai. They absconded to the capital city Kyoto and they joined the movement to return political power to the emperor. However, they were sent back to Saga and imprisoned.
After the Meiji Restoration, Ōkuma was appointed to the new government and he displayed formidable skill such as in negotiating with the British Minister Sir Harry Smith Parkes over the imprisonment and execution of Japanese Christians. As a result of such skills, Ōkuma's talent was appreciated and he was promoted to the position of Vice-Controller of the Foreign Office. Recognized as a promising young official in the new government, Ōkuma was later appointed to important posts, such as taifu (Vice Minister) of Finance, sangi (councilor), and Minister of Finance. In these positions, Ōkuma oversaw the adoption of numerous Bunmei Kaika (civilization and enlightenment) policies, including the construction of railways and telegraphs, the reform of the monetary system (including the introduction of the yen currency), the establishment of a national budget and accounting system, the creation of the Ministry of Public Works, and the introduction of the solar calendar.
When Takamori Saigō urged sending an envoy to Korea to begin diplomatic relations with Korea in the hope that Korean refusal would precipitate a Japanese punitive expedition (this proposal is known as “Seikanron”), Ōkuma objected to this proposal on the grounds that domestic affairs should be given priority. Upon the deaths of Takayoshi Kido, Takamori Saigō and Toshimichi Ōkubo, Ōkuma became the head of sangi (councilor), the virtual top position in the government. However, Ōkuma faced strong opposition from the 'Sat-Chō' hambatsu (Sat-Chō han cliques) because of his attempts to promptly establish the Constitution and to realize party cabinets. This struggle coincided with Ōkuma's opposition to the proposed sale of government assets in Hokkaido Colonization Office, and as a result, Ōkuma ended up being forced to resign from the government in 1881 (“1881 Political Crisis”).
In 1882 (Meiji 15), Ōkuma gained the cooperation of parties such as Azusa Ono and organized the Rikken Kaishintō (Constitutional Reform Party), and he also founded the Tokyo Senmon Gakko (College which later became Waseda University). For the realization of his ideals, Ōkuma took these action based on his conviction that the implementation of political parties and the cultivating of new talent were essential to promote the modernization of Japan.
A few years later, Ōkuma’s unique skills were needed to deal with the revision of the Unequal Treaties, the most difficult diplomatic issue at that time and he was appointed to Foreign Minister in the Kuroda cabinet. Ōkuma struggled to negotiate for a treaty revision, however his efforts was not paid off because he was injured in an attack by a thug from the opposition, thereby he was forced to resign as Foreign Minister. Ōkuma's unyielding spirit and indomitable nature, however, lead him to make a return to politics, and in 1898 (Meiji 31), Ōkuma co-founded the Kenseitō (Constitutional Government Party) with Taisuke Itagaki, and as Prime Minister, he formed the first party cabinet in Japan (“Waihan cabinet” (waihan =Chinese reading of parts of the ministers' names: wai = kuma, han=ita); the first Ōkuma cabinet). In 1914 (Taishō 3), after the ‘Siemens Affair' that brought the downfall of the Yamamoto cabinet, Ōkuma became Prime Minister again and formed his second cabinet.
At about the same time, on the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of Waseda University in 1913 (Taishō 2), Ōkuma made a public declaration of the three founding principles that had been handed down since the school was founded: “Independence of Learning,” “Practical Utilization of Knowledge,” and “Creating Good Citizenship.” As the spirit of Waseda University, these principles have been handed down from generation to generation until the present day.
Ōkuma was also actively involved in Japan's cultural movements. He served as chairman of the Dainippon Bunmei Kyōkai (Japan Civilization Society) and wrote numerous books, including “Ōkuma-haku Sekijitsutan (Reminiscences of Marquis Ōkuma),” “Kaikoku Gojūnenshi (A History of the Fifty Years Since the Opening of Japan),” and “Kokumin Dokuhon (A Citizen's Reader).”
Ōkuma passed away at the age of 83 (at the age of 85 according to the traditional Japanese system of age reckoning) on January 10, 1922 (Taishō 11). He was buried at the Gokoku-ji (temple), located in Otowa, Bunkyō-ku, Tokyo. Since Ōkuma had high popularity as the minshu seijika (democratic politician), over 200,000 mourners attended the “state funeral,” which was held at a specially constructed funeral pavilion in Hibiya Park.
Ōkuma often said “politics is my life ,” and indeed, he played an active role as a “statesman” with lofty ideals. Moreover, it is also clear that he played a major role as an “educator” who established Waseda University and promoted cultural activities during the Meiji and Taishō eras.
> Next: An Abbreviated Chronology of Shigenobu Ōkuma's Life