Gotō Shinpei, Statesman of Vision

The Meiji era (1868–1912) produced numerous geniuses in Japan and one who certainly earns his name on the list is Gotō Shinpei.

Gotō, who was a prominent figure in Japan’s political scene, showed exceptional talent in various fields. Starting off his career as a physician, he became a leading figure in public health, and successfully organized a massive quarantine in 1895 for returning soldiers of the First Sino-Japanese war. Later he was appointed as civilian governor of Taiwan and following this he became the first president of the South Manchuria Railway, showing ingenuity in colonial management which was remarkably different from that of Western countries. He built the basis of the Japanese railway system as director-general of the Railway Agency, and as the minister of home affairs presented a grand vision for urban planning immediately after the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923. He never organized a cabinet himself, but has been remembered as a successful leader in public heath, urban planning, infrastructure building, etc.

From his birth in a poor samurai family to his death at seventy-one years old, this biography carefully follows his steps, while at the same time delving into the visions and methods that made him a unique leader.

KITAOKA Shinichi
Kitaoka Shinichi was born in 1948 and studied at the University of Tokyo, specializing in modern Japanese politics and diplomacy (B.A. in 1971, and Ph.D. in 1976). He taught at Rikkyo University (1976–1997) and his alma mater (1997–2004, 2006–2012), while serving as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the United Nations (2004–2006). He later became a professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS, 2012–2015), president of the International University of Japan (IUJ, 2012–2015), and is currently president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA, 2015–). He is emeritus professor of the University of Tokyo and Rikkyo University. He has written numerous books and articles in Japanese. Three of his other books are available in English: Self-Respect and Independence of Mind: The Challenge of Fukuzawa Yukichi (2017), A Political History of Modern Japan: Foreign Relations and Domestic Politics (2018), and From Party Politics to Militarism in Japan, 1924–1941 (2020). He has received many honors and awards including the Medal with Purple Ribbon for his academic achievements in 2011 from the government of Japan.

*information as of time of publication

Japan Library series
Biography

Publisher:
Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture

Hardcover
¥2,400 + tax
ISBN 9784866581835
210 mm x 148 mm / 214 pp. / March 2021

eBook
ISBN 9784866581941 (ePub)
ISBN 9784866582054 (PDF)

Preface to the English Translation / Preface: Why Remember Gotō as a Foreign Policy Leader? / 1. Medical Student and Public Health Administrator / 2. Civilian Governor of Taiwan / 3. President of the South Manchuria Railway / 4. Bureaucratic Government and Party Politics / 5. World War I and Japan / 6. Lost Opportunities / Epilogue / Timeline of Gotō Shinpei’s Life / References / About the Author

台湾総督府民政⾧官や満鉄総裁として植民地経営に辣腕を振るい、鉄道院総裁として国鉄の発展の礎を築いたことで知られる医師・後藤新平。本書では、外交指導者の条件を問いつつ、「唯一の国民外交家」後藤新平の知られざる一面を明かす。

北岡伸一
1948年、奈良県生まれ。1971年、東京大学法学部卒業。1976年、東京大学大学院法学政治学研究科博士課程修了(法学博士)。プリンストン大学客員研究員、立教大学法学部教授、東京大学法学部教授、国連大使、国際大学学長、政策研究大学院大学特別教授を経て、現在、国際協力機構（JICA）理事長。東京大学名誉教授、紫綬褒章受章。著書に『清沢洌―日米関係への洞察』(中公新書、1987年、サントリー学芸賞受賞)、『日米関係のリアリズム』(中公叢書、1991年、読売論壇賞受賞)、『自民党―政権党の38年』(読売新聞社、1995年、吉野作造賞受賞)、『グローバルプレイヤーとしての日本』（NTT出版、2010年）、『門戸開放政策と日本』（東京大学出版会、2015年）など。新聞・雑誌に定期的に寄稿。

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