- Fukushima Yasumasa
Infobox Military Person
name=Baron Fukushima Yasumasa
lived=27 May 1852 -19 February 1919
placeofbirth=Matsumoto ,Shinano Province ,Japan
placeofdeath=Tokyo ,Japan
caption= Viscount Fukushima Yasumasa
nickname=
allegiance=Empire of Japan
branch=
serviceyears=1874-1908
rank=General
commands=
unit=
battles=Satsuma Rebellion First Sino-Japanese War Boxer Rebellion Russo-Japanese War
awards=Knight-Commander of theOrder of the Bath
family=
laterwork=Baron nihongo| Yasumasa Fukushima|福島安正| Fukushima Yasumasa|extra=
27 May 1852 –19 February 1919 was a general in theImperial Japanese Army . He is regarded as one of the founders of theJapanese Secret Intelligence Services , also known as theKempeitai .Biography
Fukushima was born to a "
samurai " family; his father was a retainer to the "daimyo " of Matsumoto, inShinano Province (modernNagano Prefecture ). He came toEdo (laterTokyo ) to attend the "Kobusho" military school for the sons of "daimyo" and "hatamoto " located inTsukiji . This school was the forerunner of theImperial Japanese Army Academy . He graduated in 1874, and participated in theSatsuma Rebellion as an official “war correspondent”. His quick mind and ability to get along well with people earned him a posting at theImperial Japanese Army General Staff at an early age, and he was sent to theUnited States as amilitary attaché in 1876. Returning to Japan in 1876, he was commissioned as alieutenant .During the next years, he traveled extensively, visiting
Mongolia in 1879, serving as military attaché toBeijing from 1882-1884. He was a staff officer of theJapanese First Army when theFirst Sino-Japanese War broke out.After the war, Fukushima visited
British India andBurma on an extensive tour from 1886-1887. In 1887, he was promoted tomajor , and sent as military attaché toBerlin . On this trip in 1892, he was accompanied by PrinceSaionji Kinmochi . Fukushima, who spoke 10 languages fluently, was a popular figure in German society during his stay in Berlin. Fukushima made a reputation during his stay in Berlin, for winning all manner of wagers involving feats of arms or physical strength. He later claimed that the reason for his long ride across Russia was a wager made over drinks against some German cavalry majors. (The story is probably an invention, as some historians claim that Fukushima never drank alcohol, and in any case it is not recorded whether or not Fukushima ever collected on the wager). In any case, Fukushima was an admirer of Colonel Burnaby, a British cavalry officer, who had made an epic ride toKhiva in 1874 after receiving word that the Russians had closed the border to Turkistan. Fukushima also shared Burnaby's political views that Russia was the chief enemy of both Great Britain and Japan.For his return to Japan, he chose to make an epic crossing of two continents on horseback, from
Berlin toVladivostok . The trip took one year and four months, and had as one of its objectives, inspecting the construction of the still under constructionTrans-Siberian Railway as well as gathering intelligence of the local infrastructure, command and control, along the way. During this journey, on1 March 1893 prior to enteringManchuria , he was promoted tolieutenant colonel . The story of his 14,000 kilometer ride made him a Japanese national hero, and earned him theOrder of the Sacred Treasures , third class. After his return to Japan from his ride across Asia, Fukushima donated his horses toUeno Zoo in Tokyo, where they quickly became famous tourist attractions.Fukushima subsequently saw service in the
Boxer Rebellion (1900), where he was in command of Japanese forces inTianjin , as well as the Foreign Legation. Afterwards, he returned briefly to the Imperial Japanese Army Academy to study under the German General Klemens Wilhelm Jacob Meckel.As a General Staff officer after the war, he visited
Egypt , Ottoman Turkey,Persia ,Arabia , India, Burma,Siam andTurkistan . In 1902, he representedEmperor Meiji at thecoronation ofKing Edward VII of Great Britain, and participated in secret diplomatic negotiations behind theAnglo-Japanese Alliance . He was awarded an honorary Knight-Commander of theOrder of the Bath .Fukushima also served with distinction in the
First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895), and in theRusso-Japanese War (1904-1905).In 1907, Fukushima was elevated to the title of "danshaku" (
baron ) under the "kazoku " peerage system. In 1914, he was promoted togeneral and was transferred to the second reserve. After the transfer, he served as vice-president of the Association of Reservists.Fukushima was on good terms with fellow poet and spy General
Akashi Motojiro , and although not close friends, the two men shared ideas on the long term needs of the Japanese secret services in the Asian area. Fukushima even composed a poem titled “From Fallen Petal to Rising Star”, in which he honored a prostitute who became a patriot through her intelligence gathering activities.Fukushima died at age 67 and his grave is located at Aoyama Cemetery,
Tokyo . The Matsumoto City Museum inMatsumoto, Nagano , preserves some his personal artifacts, including his riding crop.References
*cite book
last = Coox
first = Alvin
year = 1990
title = Nomonhan: Japan Against Russia, 1939
publisher = Stanford University Press
location =
id = 0804718350
*cite book
last = Deacon
first = Richard
year = 1983
title = A History of the Japanese Secret Service
publisher = Berkley Publishing Company
location = New York
id = 0-425-07458-7
*cite book
last = Harries
first = Meirion
year = 1994
title = Soldiers of the Sun: The Rise and Fall of the Imperial Japanese Army
publisher = Random House; Reprint edition
location =
id = 0-679-75303-6External links
*cite web
last =National Diet Library
first =
url = http://www.ndl.go.jp/portrait/e/datas/186.html?c=0
title = Portrait of Yasumasa Fukushima
work = Portraits of Modern Historical Figures
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