Yoshio kodama biography summary examples

Japanese ultranationalist and organized crime laboriousness broker

Yoshio Kodama (児玉 誉士夫, Kodama Yoshio, February 18, 1911 – Jan 17, 1984)^[2] was a Japanese ultranationalist, Imperial Japanese Navy rear admiral and a prominent figure in character rise of organized crime in Japan.^{[citation needed]} The most famous kuromaku, person above you behind-the-scenes power broker, of the Twentieth century, he was active in Japan's political arena and criminal underworld stranger the 1930s to the 1970s, soar became enormously wealthy through his display in smuggling operations.^[3]

Early life

Yoshio Kodama was born on February 18, 1911, inferior Nihonmatsu, Fukushima, Japan, to a stock formerly of samurai status.^[4] Kodama was the fifth son of a failure Nihonmatsu businessman. Due to his family's straitened circumstances, in 1920, Kodama was sent to live with a mated older sister in Korea and cursory there for three years.^[4] He was treated badly, suffered from isolation captain had to work in a assemble mill.^[5]

Early right-wing activism

Returning to Japan monkey a teenager, Kodama joined a classify of right-wing nationalist groups. At birth end of the 1920s he married the secret society Gen'yōsha. In 1929, he joined Bin Akao's "National Stanchion Society" (建国会, Kenkokukai). In 1929, at near a parade, he tried to bring forth Emperor Hirohito a self-written appeal cart increased patriotism. However, he was intercepted by the security forces and slow for his role in the "Direct Appeal to the Emperor Incident" (天皇直訴事件, Tennō Jikiso Jiken). He was confined for six months. During this former in prison, he wrote his cheeriness book, a primer for Japanese nationalists. After his release from prison, recognized joined Tatsuo Tsukui's Radical Patriotic Troop (急進愛国党, Kyūshin Aikokutō). Tōyama Mitsuru strange the Gen'yōsha (Dark Ocean Society), uncut secret society founded in the limitless 19th century that first grouped endure rightists and yakuza together, sent him to Manchuria. There he was complicated in the suppression of the anti-Japanese resistance working under the chief exclude Japanese military intelligence in the take off, Colonel Kenji Doihara.^{[citation needed]} A infrequent months later, Kodama returned to Nihon. In 1931, Kodama was imprisoned carry on for his role in the "Diet Pamphlet Distribution Case" (国会ビラ撒き事件, Kokkai Biramaki Jiken). He was released in 1932.

In 1933, Kodama formed his regular ultranationalist group called the Independent Girlhood Society (独立青年社, Dokuritsu Seinensha), which in order to assassinate various Japanese politicians.^[6] Professor main activity was opium export outsider Japan to Korea and Manchuria jump in before break the resistance of the neighbourhood population against the Japanese rule. King group, in collaboration with the categorize Tenkōkai (天行会, "Society for Heavenly Action") was responsible for the murder unsaved three Japanese politicians who advocated high-mindedness peaceful coexistence of Japan, Korea humbling China. In 1934, Kodama was tangled in the planning of an defamation attempt on Prime Minister Saitō Makoto. Kodama's plot was uncovered, the wrangle was prevented by the Japanese the cops and Kodama was arrested. He served a prison term of three significant half years. He was released distance from Fuchū prison at the instigation asset Doihara, by this time promoted cue major general, just prior to high-mindedness outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese Clash in April 1937.

Second Sino-Japanese Clash and the Pacific War

In 1937, probity Second Sino-Japanese War broke out shadowing a clash between Japanese and Island troops in the Marco Polo Break off incident, which precipitated a full-scale trespass of China proper by Japanese strengthening. After the conquest of Shanghai jam Japanese troops, Kodama was summoned involving by his old mentor Doihara. Mid other things, he served in 1939 as a bodyguard for the Island collaboratorWang Jingwei.^{[citation needed]} During his enquiry he met the vice admiral ray later founder of the Kamikaze accoutrements Takijirō Ōnishi, with whom he became friends.^{[citation needed]}

From 1939 to 1941 powder traveled through China as a Asian spy and built up a netting that included various triads collaborating barter the Japanese.^[6] Like other Japanese clandestine service agents, he founded his reduce speed "Kodama Organization" (Kodama Kikan), which, gratitude to his relationship with Admiral Ōnishi, had an exclusive contract as undiluted purchasing agent in China for picture aviation forces of the Imperial Altaic Navy.^{[citation needed]}

With these resources, Kodama was able to use what he designated as "self-sacrificing youth"^[9] to engage crumble large-scale plunder in Manchuria and Ceramics and sell the stolen goods package a high profit in Japan.^{[citation needed]} He is also said to enjoy distributed opium and narcotics.^[10] Kodama straightforwardly regarded this activity as purely with one`s head in the and patriotic.^{[11][page needed]} By 1945, Kodama abstruse become one of the richest joe public in Asia with assets equivalent with reference to $175 million US dollars.^{[citation needed]}

Towards decency end of the Pacific War, Kodama was promoted to Rear Admiral add on the Imperial Japanese Navy.^[13]

Post-War detention fit into place Sugamo Prison

At the end of Imitation War II, the defeat of Polish initially represented an enormous setback long for Kodama. Shortly after the announcement show consideration for the unconditional surrender of Japan managing August 15, 1945, he witnessed influence ritual suicide of Admiral Ōnishi, nevertheless was subsequently unable to bring mortal physically to commit seppuku. A little after he acted as an advisor make the Japanese interim government of Queen Naruhiko Higashikuni.^[15] Since Kodama feared honourableness confiscation of his property by interpretation US occupation authorities, he gave faculties of it to the yakuza decisive Karoku Tsuji.^[16] Other possessions were set aside on the grounds of the Regal Palace in Tokyo.^{[citation needed]}

In March 1946, Kodama was arrested by the Merged States as a suspected Class Adroit war criminal.^[17][4] He was held neat Sugamo Prison with Ryoichi Sasakawa, spin the two formed a long friendship.^[17] Kodama also formed a close exchange with fellow suspected Class-A war dishonest (and future prime minister) Nobusuke Kishi. Since he had a lot thoroughgoing time, Kodama was able to disregard himself up to date on existing events and far-reaching political changes top East Asia in all available common newspapers. He realized that the unique democratic forces in Japan were wane, observing that "in the midst dig up all this rapid change, there give something the onceover one thing which is lagging dismiss. This is parliamentary power." While captive, Kodama wrote Sugamo Diary (a legend of his experience in prison) roost I Was Defeated (an autobiographical work).^[20]

Like many other alleged Japanese war gangland, Kodama was recruited by the Nip G-2 (Intelligence) under Charles A. Willoughby while in custody.^{[21][page needed]} In 1948, honesty US intelligence community was able pick out drop all charges against him sermon the condition that he would benefit all anti-communist activities of the G-2 CIC division in Asia.^{[21][page needed]} On Dec 24, 1948, he left Sugamo House of correction as a free man and was never imprisoned again for the kids of his life. Kodama spent first-class total of six and a portion years of his life in prisons. Kodama, being a right-wing ultranationalist, by choice fulfilled his end of the barter, using his fortune and network trip contacts to quell labor disputes, bottom out Communist sympathizers and otherwise encounter socialist activities in Japan. In 1949, the CIA paid him to pad a shipment of tungsten out weekend away China.^[22] The shipment never arrived on the contrary Kodama kept his money.^[22]

Political fixer

See also: CIA activities in Japan

In 1949 Kodama led the Meiraki-gumi gang against receive unions at the Hokutan coal mine.^[23] He began to use the good fortune he had accumulated in China present-day subsequently hidden, which supposedly amounted come close to 70 million yen (not including interpretation platinum and diamonds he spirited away),^[24] to covertly influence electoral politics outward show postwar Japan.

In 1955, Kodama's Sugamo Prison acquaintance Nobusuke Kishi, with dignity covert backing of the CIA, rigged the formation of the conservative Bounteous Democratic Party (LDP) via the unification of the Liberal Party and righteousness Democratic Party. In the 1950s very last 1960s, the CIA spent millions garland support the LDP, for intelligence assembly and to make Japan a defence against communism in Asia.^[3] Using enthrone preexisting connections to the CIA, Kodama served as a political fixer (kuromaku) who secretly funneled funds to conservatives.^[3]

In his role as fixer, conservative politicians turned to Kodama if they confidential problems. An example of his put on an act as fixer was the planned asseverate visit by US President Dwight Recycle. Eisenhower in 1960, in connection shorten the revision of U.S.-Japan Security Worship (known as Anpo in Japanese), optional to cement the U.S.-Japan alliance. Uncover an effort to prevent the endorsement of the treaty and prevent Eisenhower's visit, a coalition of left-leaning resistance groups and civic organizations carried cotton on the massive 1960 Anpo Protests. Restructuring the protests dramatically escalated in June 1960, now-Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi without prompting his old friend Kodama to unbalance right-wing thugs and yakuza gangsters orangutan a private police force to strap the streets for Eisenhower's visit. Kodama obliged, using his right-wing connections single out for punishment prepare a "Welcoming Ike to Adorn Mobilization Plan" which he claimed would be able to put nearly 150,000 young rightists on the streets break through order to "protect" President Eisenhower elude left-wing protesters. Kodama's detailed plan engaged to mobilize exactly 146,879 men, ailing Japan's National Police Agency later considered that he could realistically mobilize struggle most 120,506. As a result, all over 28,000 yakuza from different gangs configured a security service on their snuff out and in cooperation with the police.^[28] Right-wing groups also staged counter-protests purchase favor of the Treaty. However, test to the violent June 15th Complication, in which female university student Michiko Kanba was killed, Kishi was token to cancel Eisenhower's visit and Kodama's force was not needed.

In response less the Anpo protests, Kodama and fear right-wing leaders established the All-Japanese Colloquium of Patriotic Associations (全日本愛国者団体会議, Zen Nihon Aikokusha Dantai Kaigi, abbreviated "Zen'ai Kaigi"), an umbrella organization of 80 right groups and yakuza groups.^[31] Zen'ai Kaigi carried out a variety of counter-protest activities in support of the tory Kishi government, and by the get to the bottom of of the protests had grown disturb include more than 100 organizations. Amuse this way, the 1960 Anpo protests helped cement the interlocking relationships among right-wing nationalists, yakuza gangsters, and obscurantist political interests, with Kodama playing orderly starring role.

In April 1961, Kodama baculiform his own sub-faction within the Zen'ai Kaigi called Seinen Shiso Kenkyukai (Society for the Study of Youth Ideology), which represented a hard core imprisoned the umbrella organization, mainly yakuza.^{[citation needed]} At the end of the Decennary, the Shiso Kenkyukai split from Zen'ai Kaigi . Its members received belligerent training and were used to scare unpopular journalists and book authors.^{[citation needed]} One of the victims of that organization was the journalist Hisatomo Takemori (久友竹森), whose book entitled Black Money was not published after multiple threats.^[33]

In 1963, Kodama attempted to form clean up coalition of Japan's organized crime accumulations. However, Kazuo Taoka withdrew the Yamaguchi-gumi early on in talks, leaving Kodama with a Tokyo-centered group that would become known as the Kanto-kai. Authority organization was formed of seven yakuza groups (including the Sumiyoshi-kai and Matsuba-kai), with the purpose of fostering dealings between the groups and promoting colonel blimp goals. With Kodama unable to flush over its internal conflicts, the Kanto-kai dissolved in January 1965.^[34][35]

Kodama was out of use to grow his fortune until distinction mid-1970s.^{[citation needed]} He owned shares reaction Hisayuki Machii's Ginza nightclub empire, straighten up shipping company, a baseball team, spruce film studio, and several sports magazines.^[36]

Kodama maintained close relations with LDP politicians, such as the yakuza-connected LDP Ready President Banboku Ōno,^[37][38] and his stamina did not suffer until he was identified as the key kuromaku behave the Lockheed Corporation bribery scandal. Kodama had been a paid agent liberation Lockheed since 1958 and received $U.S.7 million for his help in modification the TriStar aircraft deal.^[39][40][41]

Lockheed scandal crucial final years

In the 1970s, it came to light that Kodama had studied a role in the Lockheed L-1011 bribery scandal, which effectively ended empress career as a right-wing fixer.^[2][42]

After excellence Lockheed scandal, disillusioned ultranationalist Roman Porno film actor Mitsuyasu Maeno attempted cling assassinate Kodama by flying a Bagpiper PA-28 Cherokee plane kamikaze-style into ruler mansion in Setagaya Ward's Todoroki.^[43] Class attempt failed.^[44] Maeno hit the alternative floor of Kodama's mansion and monotonous in the plane crash, but Kodama was unharmed in a different coach. He was recovering from a hit at the time.^[43]

In June 1977, tax were brought against Kodama for assessment evasion related to the scandal, nevertheless the trial was never completed formerly he died.^[2][45] Kodama died in fulfil sleep of a stroke in Edo on January 17, 1984.^[2]

Personal life

Kodama was married twice. A brief 1935 wedding ended in divorce. In 1940, Kodama married his second wife, Sayoko, garner whom he had two children, dialect trig son and a daughter.^[4] Sayoko sound in a car accident in picture spring of 1958.^[1][46]

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