1. Date Junnosuke, known as Zhang Zongyuan in Chinese after changing his name and nationality, was a Japanese bandit and ronin active in early 20th century China.
21 Facts About Date Junnosuke
1. 2.
Date Junnosuke was a part of the Manchu-Mongol Independence Movement and the Shandong Autonomy Movement.
3.
Date Junnosuke was a descendant of Date Masamune and a member of the Date clan.
4.
Date Junnosuke was born to a Kazoku family, descended from the Daimyo of the Sendai Domain, the Date clan.
5.
Date Junnosuke's grandfather, Date Munenari, was a politician under Emperor Meiji.
6.
Date Junnosuke went to several schools, including Azabu Junior High School, Keio Junior High School, Gakushuin, and Rikkyo Junior High School.
7.
Date Junnosuke finally graduated from Kaijo Junior High School in 1914 and was accepted into Waseda University to study at the Faculty of Literature.
8.
Date Junnosuke was good friends with Ikki Kita, Shumei Okawa, and Onisaburo Deguchi.
9.
Date Junnosuke participated in a 1916 plot to assassinate Zhang Zuolin and a 1919 plot to assassinate Yamagata Aritomo.
10.
Date Junnosuke traveled to China, where he became a continental ronin.
11.
In 1929, he made a pact of brotherhood with Fengtian clique warlord Zhang Zongchang, leading to Date Junnosuke renaming himself Zhang Zongyuan and trying to integrate into Chinese society, changing his nationality to Chinese in 1931.
12.
On July 27,1935, Date Junnosuke tried to support a coup in Beijing, but failed.
13.
In 1919, Date Junnosuke came under the Governor-General of Korea, Saito Makoto.
14.
Date Junnosuke traveled to Korea and became the chief of the border guard in Uiju County.
15.
Date Junnosuke was a firm believer in the autonomy or independence of the Manchu, Mongol, and Lu peoples.
16.
Date Junnosuke led 4,000 troops from Manchuria to Shandong in 1937, using his connections to transfer himself to Shandong.
17.
Date Junnosuke took over Jinan and used it as his headquarters as the "King" of Shandong.
18.
Date Junnosuke advised many bandit units in the Jehol campaign.
19.
In 1945, Date Junnosuke tried to organize a unit called the Zhang Zongyuan Unit, but his attempt was unsuccessful and the unit failed quickly.
20.
Date Junnosuke was held in the Qingdao Detention Center and moved to the Shanghai Temporary War Criminal Detention Center.
21.
Date Junnosuke was sentenced to death, and Date was moved to Shanghai Prison, where he was executed by firing squad on September 9,1948.