Uryū Sotokichi

Infobox Military Person
name= Baron Uryū Sotokichi
lived=2 January 1857] - 11 November 1937 [Nishida, Imperial Japanese Navy]
placeofbirth=Kanazawa, Kaga domain Japan
placeofdeath=Tokyo, Japan


caption= Japanese Admiral Baron Uryū Sotokichi
nickname=
allegiance=Empire of Japan
branch=navy|Empire of Japan
serviceyears=1871-1927
rank=Admiral
commands="Akagi", "Akitsushima", "Fusō", "Matsushima", "Yashima"
Sasebo Naval District
Yokosuka Naval District
unit=
battles= First Sino-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
oBattle of Chemulpo Bay
oBattle of Tsushima
awards= Order of the Rising Sun (1st class)
Order of the Golden Kite
family=
laterwork=

Baron nihongo|Uryū Sotokichi|瓜生外吉| Uryū Sotokichi|extra=2 January 1857 – 11 November 1937 was an early admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy, active in the Russo-Japanese War, most notably at the Battle of Chemulpo Bay and the Battle of Tsushima. His name is sometimes transliterated as "Uriu Sotokichi", or "Uriu Sotokitchi".

Biography

Born to a "samurai" family in the Kaga Domain (present day Kanazawa in Ishikawa prefecture), Uryū became one of the first cadets of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy but did not graduate; instead, he was then sent to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis on 9 June 1875, returning on 2 October 1881.

Commissioned as a lieutenant he served aboard various ships throughout the 1880s, including the " Kaimon" , "Fusō" , and the "Nisshin." On 23 July 1891, he assumed his first command, that of the gunboat "Akagi". Promoted to captain in 1891, he was then posted as naval attaché to France from 5 September 1892 to 31 August 1896.

After the outbreak of the First Sino-Japanese War, Uryū briefly commanded the new cruiser "Akitsushima", followed by his old ship, the " Fusō'’

A brief spell in prison for 3 months from 5 April 1898 did not seem to hurt his career, as he was appointed captain of the " Matsushima" on 1 February 1898, and the " Yashima" on 16 June 1898. He became a rear admiral and Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff on 21 May 1900.

Promoted to vice admiral on 6 June 1904, during the Russo-Japanese War he commanded the Second Squadron at the Battle of Chemulpo Bay, and there sank the Russian cruiser "Variag" and gunboat "Korietz" ( _ru. Кореец). For his war service he was decorated with the Order of the Rising Sun (1st class) and the Order of the Golden Kite (2nd class) in 1906.

He was made commander of the Sasebo Naval District on 22 November 1906, he was ennobled with the title of "danshaku" (baron) under the "kazoku" peerage system on 21 September 1907.

Appointed commander of the Yokosuka Naval District on 1 December 1909, Uryū was made a full admiral on 16 October 1912. He was the official representative from Japan at the opening ceremonies for the Panama Canal in 1912. From 1922-1925, he served on the House of Peers. He entered the reserve list in 1927, and died in 1937.

His grave is at Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo. He was a lifelong proponent of better ties with the United States.

References

Books

*cite book
last = Andidora
first = Ronald
authorlink =
year = 2000
chapter =
title = Iron Admirals: Naval Leadership in the Twentieth Century
publisher = Greenwood Press
location =
id = ISBN 0-313-31266-4
*cite book
last = Dupuy
first = Trevor N
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1992
title = Encyclopedia of Military Biography
publisher = I B Tauris & Co Ltd
location =
id = 1-85043-569-3
*cite book
last = Jukes
first = Jeffery
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 2002
title = 'The Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905
publisher = Osprey Publishing
location =
id = ISBN 1-84176-446-91

External links

*cite web
last = Nishida
first = Hiroshi
coauthors =
year =
url = http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/px00.htm#a001
title = Uryu Sotokichi
work = Imperial Japanese Navy
accessdate = 2007-08-14

Notes