28 Facts About Tanaka Giichi

Baron Tanaka Giichi was a Japanese general and politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1927 to 1929.

Tanaka Giichi served as Minister of the Army under Prime Ministers Hara Takashi and Yamamoto Gonnohyoe.

Tanaka Giichi was born as the third son of a low-ranking samurai family in the service of Choshu Domain in Hagi, Nagato Province, Japan.

Tanaka Giichi had an interest in politics from an early age, serving on a village council and as an elementary school teacher.

Tanaka Giichi only joined the Imperial Japanese Army at the age of 20.

Tanaka Giichi graduated from the former 8th class of Imperial Japanese Army Academy and the 8th class of the Army War College in 1892, and served as a junior officer during the First Sino-Japanese War.

Tanaka Giichi was fluent in the Russian language, which he learned while attending mass every Sunday at a Russian Orthodox church, which enabled him to practice his Russian at church social events, although it is uncertain if he ever actually converted to Christianity.

In 1906, Tanaka helped draft a defense plan which was so highly regarded by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff and General Yamagata Aritomo that it was adopted as basic policy until World War I He was awarded the Order of the Golden Kite in April 1906.

Tanaka Giichi was promoted to major general in 1911, and was made director of the Military Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of the Army, where he recommended an increase in the strength of the standing army by two additional infantry divisions.

Tanaka Giichi was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure in September 1918.

Tanaka Giichi joined the cabinet of Prime Ministers Hara Takashi as Army Minister from September 1918 to June 1921.

Tanaka Giichi was promoted to full general in 1920 and was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun.

Tanaka Giichi was elevated to the title of danshaku under the kazoku peerage system.

Tanaka Giichi returned as Army Minister in the 2nd Yamamoto administration from September 1923 to January 1924.

Tanaka Giichi had been scheduled to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal at the time of his retirement.

However, when news reached the ears of the Army Ministry of a 3 million Yen bonus that Tanaka Giichi received on agreeing to join the Rikken Seiyukai, the promotion was denied.

Tanaka Giichi became Prime Minister of Japan on 20 April 1927, during the Showa financial crisis, serving simultaneously as the Foreign Affairs Minister.

Tanaka Giichi later added the posts of Home Minister, and Colonial Affairs Minister to his portfolio.

On foreign policy, Tanaka Giichi differed from his predecessor Shidehara both tactically and strategically.

Whereas Shidehara preferred to evacuate Japanese residents where conflicts occurred with local people, Tanaka Giichi preferred using military force.

Tanaka Giichi came into office even as forces were already beginning to converge that would draw Japan into World War II.

Tanaka Giichi himself was taken by surprise by the assassination plot and argued that the officers responsible should be publicly court-martialed for homicide.

The military establishment, from which Tanaka Giichi was by now estranged, insisted on covering up the facts of the incident, which remained an official secret.

Tanaka Giichi was succeeded by Hamaguchi Osachi, and died a few months after his resignation.

Tanaka Giichi was awarded the Order of the Paulownia Flowers on his death.

Tanaka Giichi's grave is at the Tama Cemetery in Fuchu, Tokyo.

In 1929, China accused Tanaka Giichi of having authored the "Tanaka Giichi Memorial Imperialist Conquest Plan," which advocated the conquest of Manchuria, Mongolia, and eventually the whole of China.

Tanaka Giichi was alleged to have presented the plan to the emperor in 1927.