Viscount Miura Gorō | |
|---|---|
 Lieutenant GeneralViscount Miura Gorō | |
| Born | January 1, 1847 Hagi,Chōshū Domain,Japan |
| Died | January 28, 1926(1926-01-28) (aged 79) Tokyo,Japan |
| Allegiance |  Japan |
| Service |  Imperial Japanese Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant general |
| Battles / wars | Boshin War Satsuma Rebellion Murder of Queen Min |
| Other work | Privy Council |
ViscountMiura Gorō (三浦 梧楼, 1 January 1847 – 28 January 1926) was alieutenant general in the earlyImperial Japanese Army; he is notable for orchestrating themurder of Queen Min of Korea in 1895.[1]
Miura was born inHagi inChōshū Domain (modernYamaguchi Prefecture), to asamurai family with the name of Andō, but was adopted by the Miura that was the family name of his father-in-law.[2] After studying at theMeirinkan clan military academy, he entered theKiheitai irregular militia of theChōshū domain and played an active role in theBoshin War to overthrow theTokugawa shogunate. He fought at theBattle of Hokuetsu.[2]
He later held various posts inArmy-Navy Ministry under theMeiji government and was commander of theHiroshima District. He helped suppress theHagi Rebellion in his native Chōshū.[2] During theSatsuma Rebellion, he served as commander of the Army's Third Brigade during theBattle of Tabaruzaka.[3]
In 1882, Miura was appointed commander of theImperial Japanese Army Academy.[3] In 1884, he accompaniedŌyama Iwao on a tour ofEurope, to study the military systems in various western countries, and favoured an army organisation modelled after the French, and on his return became commander of the Tokyo Garrison. However, Miura come into increasing conflict with the Army leadership under GeneralYamagata Aritomo over conscription policies, the need for a large standing army, and the government's fire-safe of the assets of theHokkaidō Colonization Office, as well as Aritomo's favouritism for an army modelled after that of Prussia.[3]
Yamagata andPrince Arisugawa blocked a move byEmperor Meiji to appoint Miura asChief of staff of theMinistry of the Army in 1886, and he was transferred from Tokyo to theKumamoto Garrison. Miura resigned rather than accept the demotion, but remained an outspoken critic of Yamagata and the direction he was taking theImperial Japanese Army.[3]
He became a leading member of theGetsuyōkai, an army fraternal association which had been established by the largely-French trained first graduating classes of the Army Academy. While theGetsuyōkai's main purpose was to encourage research into the latest military developments, under Miura the association's journal,Getsuyōkai kiji, published scathing critics of Yamataga and other army leaders, and promoted the concept of a small, defensive army. Stung by the unceasing criticism, Yamagata ordered Miura into the secondary reserves and ordered theGetsuyōkai disbanded in 1889.[3]
Miura, who had been elevated to the titleshishaku (viscount) under thekazoku peerage system in 1884, was appointed a member of theHouse of Peers from 1890, and became president of theGakushuin Peers School from 1892.
In September 1895, Miura was appointed Japan’s resident minister inKorea, succeedingInoue Kaoru. Miura was increasingly concerned over growing Russian influence over the Korean government, and less than a month after his arrival in Korea,Empress Myeongseong ordered the disbanding of the Japanese-trainedHullyeondae militia. Miura saw this as a first step in an attempt to remove pro-Japanese members of the government and loyalists to theHeungseon Daewongun, which would then lead to Russian intervention.[3]
Miura then staged a counter-coup,assassinating the Empress; however, this plan backfired due to international outrage over the incident, widespread anti-Japanese violence throughout Korea, the arrest of pro-Japanese government officials andKing Gojong seeking shelter in the Russian consulate. Miura initially denied any Japanese involvement in the incident, despite eye-witness accounts otherwise, and the Japanese government issued a statement that he had acted independently, without instructions from Tokyo.[3]
Miura was recalled to Japan and placed on trial with the involved military personnel at theHiroshima District Court. The holding of a trial would have given the impression of the rule of law to observers including Western nations. Miura's attorney argued in defense, that killing is not murder when done to achieve political supremacy with Miura admitting the fact of the assassination. Nonetheless, the court found him not guilty on technical grounds of insufficient evidence, presumably of personal motive.[4] Miura and cohorts emerged from trial as national heroes.[5]
Later, after theJapan–Korea Annexation Treaty in 1910, Miura became aprivy council member and focused on eliminating vestiges of theclan-based factionalism from politics, gaining a reputation as anÉminence grise for fixing issues "behind-the-scenes".
On his death ofuremia in 1926, he was posthumously awarded theOrder of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers.
Notwithstanding these facts, there is no sufficient evidence to prove that any of the accused actually committed the crime originally meditated by the,. Neither is there sufficient evidence to establish the charge thatHirayama Iwahiko killedLi Koshoku, the Korean Minister of the Household, in front of theKon-Chong palace.
As to the accused,Shiba Shiro,Osaki Masakichi,Yoshida Hanji,Mayeda Shunzo,Hirayama Katsukuma, andHiraishi Yoshitarom there is not sufficient evidence to show that they were in any way connected with the affair.
For these reasons the accused, each and all, are hereby discharged in accordance with the provisions of article 165 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The accused, Miura Goro, Sugimura Fukashi, Okamoto Ryunosuke, Adachi Kenzo, Kunimoto Shigeakira, Terasaki Taikichi, Hirayama Iwabiko, Nakamura Takewo, Fuji Masahira, Iyuri Kakichi, Kiwaki Sukenori, and Sokoi Masutaro, are hereby released from confinement. The documents and other articles seized in connection with this case are restored to their respective owners.
Given at Hiroshima Local Court by Yoshida Yoshihide,Judge of Preliminary Enquiry; Tamura Yoshiharu,Clerk of the Court.
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