Kijūrō Shidehara in the context of "Constitution of Japan"

⭐ In the context of the Constitution of Japan, Kijūrō Shidehara is considered significant for his initial role in…

Ad spacer

⭐ Core Definition: Kijūrō Shidehara

Baron Kijūrō Shidehara (幣原 喜重郎, Shidehara Kijūrō; 13 September 1872 – 10 March 1951) was a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1945 to 1946. He was a leading proponent of pacifism in Japan before and after World War II.

Born to a wealthy Osaka family, Shidehara studied law at Tokyo Imperial University and graduated in 1895. He then joined the foreign service and held postings in Korea, Europe, and the United States, serving as ambassador to the latter from 1919 to 1922. Shidehara served as foreign minister from 1924 to 1927 and from 1929 to 1931, and favored a non-interventionist policy in China. As prime minister after World War II, Shidehara set into motion many of the occupation reforms. After his tenure, he served as the president of the Progressive Party and as an adviser to Shigeru Yoshida. He was elected to the National Diet in 1947 and joined the Liberal Party, and from 1949 to 1951 served as speaker of the House of Representatives.

↓ Menu

>>>PUT SHARE BUTTONS HERE<<<

👉 Kijūrō Shidehara in the context of Constitution of Japan

The Constitution of Japan is the supreme law of Japan. Written primarily by American civilian officials during the occupation of Japan after World War II, it was adopted on 3 November 1946 and came into effect on 3 May 1947, succeeding the Meiji Constitution of 1889. The constitution consists of a preamble and 103 articles grouped into 11 chapters. It is based on the principles of popular sovereignty, with the Emperor of Japan as the symbol of the state; pacifism and the renunciation of war; and individual rights.

Upon the surrender of Japan at the end of the war in 1945, Japan was occupied and U.S. General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, directed Prime Minister Kijūrō Shidehara to draft a new constitution. Shidehara created a committee of Japanese scholars for the task, but MacArthur reversed course in February 1946 and presented a draft created under his own supervision, which was reviewed and modified by the scholars before its adoption. Also known as the "MacArthur Constitution", "Post-war Constitution" (戦後憲法, Sengo-Kenpō), or "Peace Constitution" (平和憲法, Heiwa-Kenpō), it is relatively short at 5,000 signs, less than a quarter the length of the average national constitution if one compares it with constitutions written in alphabetical word-based languages.

↓ Explore More Topics
In this Dossier

Kijūrō Shidehara in the context of Shigeru Yoshida

Shigeru Yoshida (吉田 茂, Yoshida Shigeru; Japanese pronunciation: [jo.ɕi.da (|) ɕi.ɡe.ɾɯ, -ŋe.ɾɯ], 22 September 1878 – 20 October 1967) was a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1946 to 1947 and again from 1948 to 1954, serving through most of the country's occupation after World War II. Yoshida played a major role in determining the course of post-war Japan by forging a strong relationship with the United States and pursuing economic recovery.

Born in Tokyo to a former samurai family, Yoshida graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1906 and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He held various assignments abroad, including in China, where he advocated increased Japanese influence. From 1928 to 1930, Yoshida served as vice minister of foreign affairs, then served as ambassador to Italy until 1932. In 1936, he was considered for foreign minister in the cabinet of Kōki Hirota, but he was opposed by the Army, who strongly identified him with liberalism and friendship with Great Britain and the United States. Yoshida served as ambassador to Britain from 1936 to 1938. He largely avoided political participation during the Pacific War. During the U.S. occupation after the war's end, Yoshida served as foreign minister in the cabinets of Prince Higashikuni and Kijūrō Shidehara.

↑ Return to Menu
LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← Constitution of Japan ← Shigeru Yoshida
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
Baron → Prime Minister of Japan → Pacifism → World War II → Osaka → University of Tokyo → Occupation of Japan → Shimpotō → Shigeru Yoshida → National Diet → Liberal Party (Japan, 1945) → House of Representatives (Japan) →