''
Gensui''
Count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
Terauchi Masatake (),
GCB (5 February 1852 – 3 November 1919), was a
Japanese military officer and politician. He was a ''
Gensui'' (or
Marshal
Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...
) in the
Imperial Japanese Army
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...
and the
prime minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Japan and has the ability to select and dismiss its ministers of state. The prime minister also serves as the commander-in-chief of the Japan Self-Defense Force ...
from 1916 to 1918.
Military career
Terauchi Masatake was born in Hirai Village,
Suo Province (present-day
Yamaguchi city,
Yamaguchi Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Yamaguchi Prefecture has a population of 1,377,631 (1 February 2018) and has a geographic area of 6,112 Square kilometre, km2 (2,359 Square mile, sq mi). ...
), and was the third son of Utada Masasuke, a
samurai
The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...
in the service of
Chōshū Domain. He was later adopted by a relative on his mother's side of the family, Terauchi Kanuemon, and changed his family name to "Terauchi".
As a youth, he was a member of the
Kiheitai militia from 1864, and fought in the
Boshin War against the
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868.
The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars ...
from 1867, most notably at the
Battle of Hakodate. After the victory at Hakodate, he travelled to
Kyoto
Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...
, where he joined the
Ministry of War and was drilled by French instructors in Western weaponry and tactics. He became a member of
Emperor Meiji
, posthumously honored as , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the List of emperors of Japan, traditional order of succession, reigning from 1867 until his death in 1912. His reign is associated with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which ...
's personal guard in 1870 and travelled with the Emperor to
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
. He left military service in 1871 to pursue language studies, but was recalled with the formation the fledgling
Imperial Japanese Army
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...
in 1871 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant after attending the Army's Toyama School. He was appointed to the staff of the new
Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1873. He fought in the
Satsuma Rebellion in 1877 and was injured and lost his right hand during the
Battle of Tabaruzaka. His
physical disability did not prove to be an impediment to his future military and political career.
In 1882, he was sent to France as
aide-de-camp to
Prince Kan'in Kotohito and was appointed a
the following year. He remained in France for studies until 1886. On his return to Japan, he was appointed deputy secretary to the Minister of the Army. In 1887, he became commandant of the Army Academy. In 1891, he was chief of staff to the
IJA 1st Division and in 1892 was Chief of the First Bureau (Operations) of the
Imperial Japanese Army General Staff.
With the start of the
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 189417 April 1895), or the First China–Japan War, was a conflict between the Qing dynasty of China and the Empire of Japan primarily over influence in Joseon, Korea. In Chinese it is commonly known as th ...
in 1894, Terauchi was appointed Secretary of Transportation and Communication for the
Imperial General Headquarters, which made him responsible for all movement of troops and supplies during the war. In 1896, he was assigned command of the IJA 3rd Infantry Brigade. In 1898, he was promoted to become the first
Inspector General of Military Training, which he made one of the three highest positions in the army. In 1900, he became Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, and went to China to personally oversee Japanese force during the
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, was an anti-foreign, anti-imperialist, and anti-Christian uprising in North China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious F ...
Political career

Terauchi was appointed as
Minister of the Army in 1901, during the first
Katsura administration. The
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War (8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905) was fought between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over rival imperial ambitions in Manchuria and the Korean Empire. The major land battles of the war were fought on the ...
(1904–1905) occurred during his term in office. After the Japanese victory in the war, he was ennobled with the title of ''danshaku'' (
baron
Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...
) in the ''
kazoku
The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan, which existed between 1869 and 1947. It was formed by merging the feudal lords (''Daimyo, daimyō'') and court nobles (''kuge'') into one system modelled after the British peerage. Distin ...
'' peerage. He was also made a chairman of the
South Manchurian Railway Company in 1906.In 1907, in recognition of the four wars he had served in, his peerage title was elevated to that of ''shishaku'' (
viscount
A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty.
In the case of French viscounts, the title is ...
),
He continued in office as Army Minister under the first
Saionji administration and the second Katsura administration from July 1908 to August 1911.
Governor-General of Korea (1910–1916)
Following the assassination of former
Prime Minister
A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
Itō Hirobumi in
Harbin
Harbin, ; zh, , s=哈尔滨, t=哈爾濱, p=Hā'ěrbīn; IPA: . is the capital of Heilongjiang, China. It is the largest city of Heilongjiang, as well as being the city with the second-largest urban area, urban population (after Shenyang, Lia ...
by a Korean nationalist,
An Jung-geun in October 1909, Terauchi was appointed to replace
Sone Arasuke as the third and last
Japanese Resident-General of Korea in May 1910. As Resident-General, he executed the
Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty in August of the same year, and he thus became the first Japanese
Governor-General of Korea. In this position, he reported directly to the Emperor and as
proconsul
A proconsul was an official of ancient Rome who acted on behalf of a Roman consul, consul. A proconsul was typically a former consul. The term is also used in recent history for officials with delegated authority.
In the Roman Republic, military ...
had wide-ranging powers ranging from legislative, administrative, and judicial to effect changes and reforms. The annexation of Korea by Japan and subsequent policies introduced by the new government was highly unpopular with the majority of the Korean population, and Terauchi (who concurrently maintained his position as Army Minister) employed military force to maintain control. However, he preferred to use the deep historical and cultural ties between Korea and Japan as justification for the eventual goal of complete assimilation of Korea into the Japanese mainstream. To this end, thousands of schools were built across Korea. Although this contributed greatly to an increase in literacy and the educational standard, the curriculum was centered on
Japanese language
is the principal language of the Japonic languages, Japonic language family spoken by the Japanese people. It has around 123 million speakers, primarily in Japan, the only country where it is the national language, and within the Japanese dia ...
and
Japanese history, with the intent of assimilation of the populace into loyal subjects of the
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...
.
Other of Terauchi's policies also had noble goals but
unforeseen consequences. For example,
land reform
Land reform (also known as agrarian reform) involves the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership, land use, and land transfers. The reforms may be initiated by governments, by interested groups, or by revolution.
Lan ...
was desperately needed in Korea. The Korean land ownership system was a complex system of absentee landlords, partial owner-tenants, and cultivators with traditional but without legal proof of ownership. Terauchi's new Land Survey Bureau conducted
cadastral survey
Cadastral surveying is the sub-field of cadastre and surveying that specialises in the establishment and re-establishment of Real estate, real property boundaries. It involves the physical delineation of property boundaries and determination of dim ...
s that reestablished ownership by basis of written proof (deeds, titles, and similar documents). Ownership was denied to those who could not provide such written documentation (mostly lower class and partial owners, who had only traditional verbal "cultivator rights"). Although the plan succeeded in reforming land ownership/taxation structures, it added tremendously to Korean hostility, bitterness, and resentment towards Japanese administration by enabling a huge amount of Korean land (roughly 2/3 of all privately owned lands by some estimates) to be seized by the government and sold to Japanese developers.
In recognition of his work in Korea, his title was raised to that of ''hakushaku'' (
count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
) in 1911.
Isabel Anderson, who visited Korea and met Count Terauchi in 1912, wrote as follows:
''
For reference, the $12 million figure in Anderson's book is roughly equivalent to $373.1 million in 2023.
Premiership (1916–1918)
In June 1916, Terauchi he received his promotion to the largely ceremonial rank of ''
Gensui'' (or
Field Marshal
Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...
). In October, he became Prime Minister, and concurrently held the cabinet posts of
Foreign Minister
In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...
and
Finance Minister. His cabinet consisted solely of career bureaucrats as he distrusted career civilian politicians.
During his tenure, Terauchi pursued an aggressive foreign policy. He oversaw the
Nishihara Loans (made to support the Chinese warlord
Duan Qirui in exchange for confirmation of Japanese claims to parts of
Shandong Province and increased rights in
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical region in northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day northeast China and parts of the modern-day Russian Far East south of the Uda (Khabarovsk Krai), Uda River and the Tukuringra-Dzhagdy Ranges. The exact ...
) and the
Lansing–Ishii Agreement (recognizing Japan's special rights in China). Terauchi upheld Japan's obligations to the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
under the
Anglo-Japanese Alliance in
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, dispatching ships from the
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, Potsdam Declaration, when it was dissolved followin ...
to the
South Pacific,
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
and
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...
, and seizing control of German colonies in
Qingdao
Qingdao, Mandarin: , (Qingdao Mandarin: t͡ɕʰiŋ˧˩ tɒ˥) is a prefecture-level city in the eastern Shandong Province of China. Located on China's Yellow Sea coast, Qingdao was long an important fortress. In 1897, the city was ceded to G ...
and the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
. After the war, Japan joined the
Allies in the
Siberian Intervention (whereby Japan sent troops into
Siberia
Siberia ( ; , ) is an extensive geographical region comprising all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has formed a part of the sovereign territory of Russia and its predecessor states ...
in support of
White Russian forces against the
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, were a radical Faction (political), faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split with the Mensheviks at the 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, ...
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
in the
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution, social change in Russian Empire, Russia, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia Dissolution of the Russian Empire, abolish its mona ...
).
In September 1918, Terauchi resigned his office, due to the
rice riots that had spread throughout Japan due to
inflation
In economics, inflation is an increase in the average price of goods and services in terms of money. This increase is measured using a price index, typically a consumer price index (CPI). When the general price level rises, each unit of curre ...
; he died the following year.
His decorations included the
Order of the Rising Sun (1st class) and
Order of the Golden Kite (1st Class).
The
billiken doll, which was a
Kewpie-like fad toy invented in 1908 and was very popular in Japan, lent its name to the Terauchi administration, partly due to the doll's uncanny resemblance to Count Terauchi's bald head.
Legacy
Terauchi's eldest son,
Count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
Terauchi Hisaichi
Count was a ''Gensui (Imperial Japanese Army), Gensui'' (or field marshal) in the Imperial Japanese Army, commander of the Southern Expeditionary Army Group during World War II.
Biography Early military career
Terauchi was born in Tokyo Prefec ...
, was the commander of the Imperial Japanese Army's
Southern Expeditionary Army Group
The was a general army of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. It was responsible for all military operations in South East Asian and South West Pacific campaigns of World War II. Its military symbol was NA.
The Southern Expediti ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The 2nd Count Terauchi also held the rank of ''Gensui'' (or
Marshal
Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...
) like his father. Terauchi's eldest daughter married Count
Hideo Kodama, the son of General
Kodama Gentaro.
Honours
''From the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia''
Peerages
*
Viscount
A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty.
In the case of French viscounts, the title is ...
(21 September 1907)
*
Count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
(21 April 1911)
Japanese decorations
* 1892 –
Order of the Sacred Treasure, 3rd class
* 1894 –
Order of the Rising Sun, 4th class
* 1895 –
Order of the Golden Kite, 3rd class
* 1895 –
Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class
* 1899 - Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd class
* 1901 –

Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun
* 1901 –
Order of the Rising Sun, 4th class
* 1906 –

Order of the Golden Kite, 1st class
* 1906 –

Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers
* 1919 – Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum (posthumous)
Foreign decorations (partial list)
* 1886 –

France -
Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
, Chevalier
* 1891 –

France -
Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
, Officier
* 1894 –

Ottoman Empire -
Order of the Medjidie, Commandeur
* 1897 – - Russia -
Order of Saint Stanislaus
The Order of Saint Stanislaus (, ), also spelled Stanislas, was a Polish order of knighthood founded in 1765 by King Stanisław August Poniatowski of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It remained under the Congress Poland, Kingdom of Pola ...
, 1st class
* 1897 –

France -
Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
, Commandeur
* 1906 –
Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...
(GCB) (15 March 1906)
* 1907 –

Annam -
Order of the Dragon of Annam, Commander
[『官報』第4192号「叙任及辞令」June 24, 1891]
Popular culture
* Portrayed by Lee Young-seok in the 2015 film ''
Assassination
Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives.
Assassinations are orde ...
''.
References
*
Craig, Albert M. ''Chōshū in the Meiji Restoration.'' Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1961
OCLC 482814571*Duus, Peter. ''The Abacus and the Sword: The Japanese Penetration of Korea, 1895-1910 (Twentieth-Century Japan - the Emergence of a World Power''. University of California Press (1998). .
* Dupuy, Trevor N. ''
Harper Encyclopedia of Military Biography''. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 1992.
*
Jansen, Marius B. and
Gilbert Rozman, eds. (1986). ''Japan in Transition: from Tokugawa to Meiji.'' Princeton: Princeton University Press.
OCLC 12311985* ____________. (2000). ''The Making of Modern Japan.'' Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
OCLC 44090600* Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005)
''Japan encyclopedia.''Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
OCLC 58053128
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Terauchi, Masatake
1852 births
1919 deaths
People from Yamaguchi (city)
People of the Meiji era
Kazoku
20th-century prime ministers of Japan
Ministers of finance of Japan
Governors-general of Chōsen
Japanese Residents-General of Korea
Japanese amputees
Japanese military attachés
Marshals of Japan
Government ministers of Japan
Ministers for foreign affairs of Japan
Government ministers with disabilities
Ministers of the Imperial Japanese Army
Japanese people of the Russo-Japanese War
People of the Boshin War
Japanese people of World War I
Grand Cordons of the Order of the Rising Sun
Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers
Recipients of the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd class
Recipients of the Order of the Golden Kite, 1st class
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Commanders of the Legion of Honour
Recipients of the Order of the Dragon of Annam
Japanese politicians with disabilities
Japanese people of the Russian Civil War