In view that yesterday was a holiday - Founder's Day - hence this shall be a post on the founder of the School, Shigenobu Okuma, as well as a little bit on the School's history.
Shigenobu Okuma was a samurai scholar and twice former prime minister of Japan during the Meiji and early Taisho period. He was in charge of foreign affairs, then monetary reforms and finally made Minister of Finance in 1870. Some of his contributions include taxation and property reforms, unification of the nation's currency, creating the first national mint and setting up a separate Ministry of Industry. He was dismissed in 1881 due to inner conflicts with the Satsuma and Choshuu cliques. In 1882, he not only co-founded his political party, but also set up the Tokyo Senmon University (later renamed to Waseda University in 1902). He was again appointed to Ministry of Foreign affairs in 1888, particularly to deal with the problematic issue of "unequal treaties" with the West, and many people felt that the resulting revisions were too conciliatory. In 1889, a member of an ultranationalist group Genyosha attacked Okuma, and resulted in Okuma's right leg being blown off by a bomb. Okuma retired from politics then, but returned again for a year in 1897 as Foreign Minister & Minister of Commerce and Agriculture. 1898 saw him merging his political party with another, and was then appointed Prime Minister by the Emperor to set up Japan's first ever partisan cabinet. However, the new cabinet only lasted 4 months, before falling apart due to internal conflict. He remained the party leader until 1908.
1914 was the year of the Siemens Scandal and the Yamamoto Government was brought down as a result of the scandal. Okuma returned to politics, gathered a coalition party and won a majority victory. A few months later, Japan declared war on Germany and thus entered the WW1 on the Allied party side. Then Prime Minister Okuma was also involved in the drafting of Twenty One Demands. However, this administration also fell in 1915, with the exposure of the Oura scandal. Okuma finally permanently retired from politics in 1916.
Shigenobu Okuma was a samurai scholar and twice former prime minister of Japan during the Meiji and early Taisho period. He was in charge of foreign affairs, then monetary reforms and finally made Minister of Finance in 1870. Some of his contributions include taxation and property reforms, unification of the nation's currency, creating the first national mint and setting up a separate Ministry of Industry. He was dismissed in 1881 due to inner conflicts with the Satsuma and Choshuu cliques. In 1882, he not only co-founded his political party, but also set up the Tokyo Senmon University (later renamed to Waseda University in 1902). He was again appointed to Ministry of Foreign affairs in 1888, particularly to deal with the problematic issue of "unequal treaties" with the West, and many people felt that the resulting revisions were too conciliatory. In 1889, a member of an ultranationalist group Genyosha attacked Okuma, and resulted in Okuma's right leg being blown off by a bomb. Okuma retired from politics then, but returned again for a year in 1897 as Foreign Minister & Minister of Commerce and Agriculture. 1898 saw him merging his political party with another, and was then appointed Prime Minister by the Emperor to set up Japan's first ever partisan cabinet. However, the new cabinet only lasted 4 months, before falling apart due to internal conflict. He remained the party leader until 1908.
1914 was the year of the Siemens Scandal and the Yamamoto Government was brought down as a result of the scandal. Okuma returned to politics, gathered a coalition party and won a majority victory. A few months later, Japan declared war on Germany and thus entered the WW1 on the Allied party side. Then Prime Minister Okuma was also involved in the drafting of Twenty One Demands. However, this administration also fell in 1915, with the exposure of the Oura scandal. Okuma finally permanently retired from politics in 1916.
A picture of Okuma Shigenobu statue at Waseda, facing the Okuma clocktower and Auditorium.
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History of Waseda University
Founded by Shigenobu Okuma in 1882, the University was initially Tokyo Senmon College but was often called by the locals as "Waseda Gakkou" (Gakkou = 学校=がっこう=school) or "Totsuka Gakkou" as Okuma's villa was in Waseda, whilst the school was located in Totsuka. In 1902, the college was awarded full university status and renamed Waseda University.
Some Titbits about Waseda
- It is apparently the only school in the world to have a square academic cap.
- It's alumni includes 6 Prime Ministers.
- The University Library and the Okuma Auditorium are designated as cultural assets in 2007.
- Haruki Murakami is from Waseda. As are a few other notable authors, sports athletes, CEOs (Uniqlo, Honda, Toshiba etc) and even founders of prominent companies (Samsung, Nintendo, Lotte Group etc).
History of Waseda University
Founded by Shigenobu Okuma in 1882, the University was initially Tokyo Senmon College but was often called by the locals as "Waseda Gakkou" (Gakkou = 学校=がっこう=school) or "Totsuka Gakkou" as Okuma's villa was in Waseda, whilst the school was located in Totsuka. In 1902, the college was awarded full university status and renamed Waseda University.
Some Titbits about Waseda
- It is apparently the only school in the world to have a square academic cap.
- It's alumni includes 6 Prime Ministers.
- The University Library and the Okuma Auditorium are designated as cultural assets in 2007.
- Haruki Murakami is from Waseda. As are a few other notable authors, sports athletes, CEOs (Uniqlo, Honda, Toshiba etc) and even founders of prominent companies (Samsung, Nintendo, Lotte Group etc).
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