Tanaka Giichi

Tanaka Gi'ichi (田中 義一 Tanaka Gi'ichi February 5 1866–November 20 1949) was a Japanese politician and the 26th Prime Minister of Japan from April 20 1927 to July 2 1929.

He was born in Yamaguchi Prefecture. He was of humble origin, and firstly a soldier. He became Sub Chief in 1915 of Central major State and a General in 1920, though retiring in 1921 to become the chief of the Seiyukai Party (1925). He occupied the high positions of Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs minister; was created a Baron.

To him has been attributed the creation of the "Tanaka Memorial" Imperialist Conquest Plan, said to have been presented to the Emperor in 1927. This was claimed publicly by the Chinese in 1931. Officially, the Japanese government claimed that this was forged. This is now generally accepted by historians — however prophetic of future events the content may have been.

Related topics

• Tanaka Memorial

Preceded by: Wakatsuki Reijiro

Prime Minister of Japan 1927–1929

Succeeded by: Hamaguchi Osachi