Masahiro Yasuoka

Masahiro Yasuoka (安岡正篤, Yasuoka Masahiro, February 13, 1898 – December 13, 1983) was a Japanese scholar of yangmingism who, through his philosophy, reportedly exerted considerable influence on many Japanese politicians, including postwar prime ministers of Japan. He has been considered to be a backroom power broker or eminence grise.

Life

In 1898, he was born in Osaka city. In childhood, he was taught four books and five classics. He studied at Tokyo Imperial University and his graduation paper A study of Wang Yangming caught attention of many people. After graduation in 1922, he entered the Ministry of Education, but he left it a half year later. He established an institute of Asian studies and insisted on the traditional nationalism of Japan while Taisho (1912–1926) democracy was in vogue. While working as an instructor at the Department of Asian Thoughts, Takushoku University, he wrote books such as Studies on the Japanese spirit and Studies on Emperors and Government Officials and attracted the attention of some noblemen and military officers. In 1927, he established a private school Kinkei Gakuen within the house of Sakai Tadamasa who was a member of the House of Peers (Japan). In 1931, with the help of zaibatsu, Japanese conglomerates, he established a private school in Saitama Prefecture, Nihon Nōshi Gakkō, (translation, Japan Farmers' School) to teach Asian thoughts and his philosophy. In 1932, he established a right-wing group called Kokuikai. Fumimaro Konoe, Koki Hirota and other influential figures joined it, but the group had become thought to be something like an eminence grise, leading to an end in two years.

Hard worker

He was a brilliant student. However, after he entered Tokyo Imperial University, he intensively read books at the library, without attending classes. At the second edition of his study on Wang Yangming in 1960, he wrote that he had sweet memories of this book.

In my higher school days and university days, I read various books intensively; Divine Comedy,books by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.Leo Tolstoy,Friedrich Nietzsche,Oscar Wilde,Karl Marx,Blaise Pascaland Henri-Frederic Amiel. However, I returned to books by Wang Yangming,Li Zhi (philosopher),Lyokon,Lu Jiuyuan,Cheng Hao,Zhang Zai,Fujiwara Seika,Yamaga Soko,Toju Nakae,Kumazawa Banzan, Yamada Houkoku,Kasuga Sen-an,Oshio Heihachiro,Honen,Shinran,Nichiren and Dogen. I felt that I have my backbones built when I read through Records of the Grand Historian and Zizhi Tongjian.(Some are omitted)

Following Years

Through his philosophy, he gave great influence to many people. They included Mitsugi Nishida and Ikki Kita who were associated with the February 26 Incident. However, details were not known. Under his influence were Isoroku Yamamoto, Masaharu Homma, Yukio Mishima, Yashiro Rokuro, Chiang Kai-shek, sumo grand champion Futabayama,Eiji Yoshikawa and many other people through his books, in some, personally. In 1944, he became an advisor to the Ministry of Greater East Asia.

After the War

The GHQ ordered that his previous groups and schools to be dissolved, and Yasuoka himself was purged on the ground of his involvement in the Ministry of Greater East Asia. In 1949, he organized the Shiyukai (Friends of Teacher): this has been continued even today (2012) and there are Hokkaido Shiyukai, Kansai Shiyukyokai and Himeji Shiyukai. After the war, he was asked to pen the policy speeches of many prime ministers, (Prime ministers after Nobusuke Kishi except Kakuei Tanaka and Takeo Miki and he had been the spiritual leader and teachers of prime ministers. They included Shigeru Yoshida (he called Masahiro old teacher in spite of his being 20 years senior), Hayato Ikeda, Eisaku Sato, Takeo Fukuda and Masayoshi Ohira. However, he was reluctant to disclosing its details.

Hirohito and Yasuoka

• In 1914, Nobuaki Makino, father of the wife of Shigeru Yoshida, once asked Yasuoka to become a tutor of Hirohito and Yasuoka was very much embarrassed. "Refuse it flatly", a chief court lady told Yasuoka that even at that time, " nothing can be done within the court, if one does not have a background of either the Satsuma clan or Choshu clan." It was the right answer.

Imperial Surrender Rescript

• Yasuoka is known to have improved the Imperial Surrender Rescript at some points. On August 12, 1945, Hisatsune Sakomizu, the chief Secretary of the Cabinet, visited Yasuoka at his house and asked him to audit the Surrender Rescript. Two days earlier Hirohito had shown his will of surrender. Yasuoka improved thoroughly, but on the next day, he found one of the three points he insisted remained unchanged.
• At three garden parties of Hirohito after the war, Yasuoka met Hirohito; one of which with the wife of Yasuoka. Hirohito thanked Yasuoka for the trouble at the end of the war, and asked Yasuoka if he was studying as before. "Yes", Yasuoka replied very delightfully.
• Hirohito once atteded a round-table discussin after the death of Yasuoka. One of the attendants said that at the discussion, "Yashuoka had once said that once the emperor said something, nothing could be told in addition." To this, Hirohito nodded.

Designator of Societies and Era

• Yasuoka had a vast knowledge of the history of China, and he was asked to designate various societies. Kochikai(Large Pond Society) is one of them. Not only societies, he gave a name to a new era, Heisei, although he did not outlive the Showa era. Heisei was conceived by Yasuoka in 1979 which was transferred to the Government. Tatsuro Yamamoto, Professor emeritus of Tokyo University again told the Government :this was reported in 1995.

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His Books

• Lectures on the Thoughts in China and Persons, Gen-osha, 1921
• A study of Wang Yangming , Gen-osha, 1922. This book surprised many people.
• A study of Japanese spirit Gen-osha, 1924
• Shigaku-Ronko Japan Navy Academy, 1924
• Generals of Asian Ethics Gen-osha, 1929
• Phylosophy of Asian Politics Gen-osha, 1932
• Doshin Zanhitsu Zenkoku Shiyukyokai, 1936
• Japanese Spirits Nihon Seinenkan, 1936
• Chinese Poems Nihon Hyoronsha, 1936
• A Revised Version of Japanese Spirit Gen-osha, 1937
• Keisei Sagen Tooe Shoin, 1940
• World Travel Daiichi Shobo, 1942
• Keisei Sagen Zen Obunsha, 1944
• The Philosophy of Lao-tze and Zhuangzi (book) Fukumura Shuppan, 1946
• Politicians and Pragmatism Fukumura Shuppan, 1948
• To Japanese Parents Fukumura Shuppan, 1952
• Shinpen Hyakuchoushuu Fukumura Shuppan, 1952
• At critical time, New version of Keisei Sagen Fukumura Shuppan, 1953
• Japan's destiny Meitoku Shuppansha 1955
• The academic source of Kawai Soryukutsu, Gosonsha,1936,
• Hyakuchoushuu, Fukumura Shuppan, 1946
• Fukurongo, Myotoku Shuppansha, 1956
• Laozi and BodhidharmaMyotoku Shuppansha, 1956
• Heroes and Learning Myotoku Shuppansha, 1956
• Morning Analects Myotoku Shuppansha, 1962
• Youngsters are like that Zenkoku Shiyu Kyokai, 1964
• Katsugaku Kansai Shiyukyokai, 1965
• Lushi Chunqiu Kansai Shiyukyokai, 1967
• Ups and Downs of Japan Zenkoku Shiyukyokai, 1968
• Great Dialogue- Persons, Enterprizes and Management Kinki Nippon Tetsudo, 1969
• Youngsters becoming Complete Zenkoku Shiyukyokai, 1971
• Asking the Way Aichiken Shiyukyokai, 1971
• Katsugaku No.2 Kansai Shiyukyokai, 1972
• The Present Time and Science Kinki Nihon Tetsudo, 1976
• Selected Poems Myotoku Shuppansha, 1955
• Present-day Purposes Myotoku Shuppansha, 1956
• Secret Stories of Ups and Downs Myotoku Shuppansha, 1958
• Asian Thoughts and Phylosophers Myotoku Shuppansha, 1959
• An Introduction to I Ching Myotoku Shuppansha, 1960
• Yamato - Nature and Persons Nihon Tsuun, 1961
• Yuurakushi Myotoku Shuppansha, 1961
• Asian Science Reimei Shobo, 1961
• Seisuiki Myootku Shuppansha, 1963
• Toyoteki Gakufu Zenkoku Shiyukyokai, 1970
• Yuraku Hicho Zenkoku Shiyukyokai, 1973
• Denshuroku Myotoku Shuppansha, 1973
• 10 Lectures of Asian Thoughts Zenkoku Shiyukyokai, 1977
• Destiny and Spiritual Peace and Enlightenment - A Study of Intouroku Kansai Shiyukyokai, 1978
• I Ching and life phylosophy Kansai Shiyukyokai, 1979
• Records of Three Kingdoms and Human Science Zenkoku Shiyukyokai, 1979
• Katsugaku part 3 Kansai Shiyukyokai, 1982

Books Published after 1984

• Opened eyes - Katsugaku PHP Institute, 1985
• Creating a destiny President sha, 1985
• Nuturing a personality Chichi Publishing Company, 1986
• Opening a destiny President sha, 1986
• Shoshin Goroku Kansai Shiyukyokai, 1987
• Recommendation of Human Science Fukumura Shuppan, 1987
• Practice of Analects President sha, 1987
• Lectures of phylosophys Chichi Publishing Company, 1988
• Polishing human Nisshin Hodo, 1988
• Tenchi Ujo Reimei Shobo, 1988
• Creating human President sha, 1988
• A Study of Premiers in Asia Fukumura Shuppan, 1988
• The Heart of Lao-tze and Zhuangzi (book) Fukumura Shuppan, 1988
• A New Version of Chinese CharactersFukumura Shuppan, 1989
• Reading Shigingo Chichi Publishing Company, 1989 ISBN 978-4-88474-173-0
• Reading Classics Myotoku Shuppansha, 1989
• Active Use of Sexagenary cycle President sha, 1989
• Knowing a life span and spiritual peace and enlightenment President sha, 1991
• Lectures at Gouken Gougaku Kenshusho, 1991
• Human Science of Asia Chichi Publishing Company, 1993
• How to live a human life Reimei Shobou, 1993

References

• Masahiro Yasuoka chronological table editing committee. Chronological table of Masahiro Yasuoka, Masahiro Yasuoka Memorial Hall, Saitama, 1997.
• Koshi Suda Masahiro Yasuoka - Instructor in politics and business world Shin-Jinbutsu Oraisha,1993 ISBN 4-404-01995-5
• Ushio Shiota, Kyoso of Showa, Yasuoka Masahiro Bungei Shunju, 1991
• Hisahiko Okazaki, Kyoyono Susume Seishun Shuppansha, 2005 ISBN 4-413-03535-6
• Setsuko Ito, My Father Yasuoka Masahiro Kansai Shiyu Kyokai, 1998 ISBN 4-88474-534-5