Isamu Takeshita | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 5 January 1870 Kagoshima,Satsuma domainJapan |
| Died | 1 July 1949(1949-07-01) (aged 79) Tokyo, Japan |
| Allegiance |  Empire of Japan |
| Service |  Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Years of service | 1889–1929 |
| Rank |  Admiral |
| Battles / wars | Russo-Japanese War World War I |
| Awards | Order of the Rising Sun (1st class) |
Isamu Takeshita (竹下 勇,Takeshita Isamu, 5 January 1870 – 1 July 1949) was an admiral in theImperial Japanese Navy. He was also a diplomat whose accomplishments included helping end theRusso-Japanese War favorably forJapan and obtaining former German possessions in the Pacific for Japan followingWorld War I. In addition, he was a patron and practitioner of theJapanese martial arts, especiallyjudo,sumo, andaikido.
Born Yamamoto Jiro into asamurai class family inKagoshima,Satsuma domain (present-dayKagoshima prefecture), he was adopted into the Takeshita family as a boy.[1]
Takeshita entered the 15th class of theImperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1892, and he graduated third in a class of eighty students.[2] He entered naval service as amidshipman in 1889; his first ship was the armoredcorvetteKongo. In 1898, he attended the JapaneseNaval War College, which had been founded that same year.
Because he was fluent inEnglish, Takeshita was posted overseas at various times as a navalattaché. In October 1902, he was appointed Japan's naval attaché to theUnited States.[2] In this role, Takeshita was an active participant in negotiations mediated by PresidentTheodore Roosevelt that led to theTreaty of Portsmouth, ending theRusso-Japanese War. During 1904, he also helped Roosevelt obtain the services of judo teacherYamashita Yoshitsugu, first for Roosevelt himself and then for theUnited States Naval Academy.[3] Takeshita's commands included thecruisersSuma,Kasuga,Izumo,Tsukuba and thebattleshipShikishima.[2]
Takeshita was a member of the Japanese diplomatic mission to the United States in 1917,[4] theParis Peace Conference of 1919, and theLeague of Nations. In these positions, he played a leading role in Japan's obtaining former German holdings in the Central and Western Pacific.[5][6]For these efforts, he was awarded theOrder of the Rising Sun (1st class).[1] Takeshita returned to Japan to accept a posting ascommander-in-chief of theCombined Fleet on 1 December 1922, a position he held until January 1924. His subsequent billets included Commander of theKure Naval District. He was placed on the retired list in November 1929.[2]
During late summer 1935, Takeshita made his fifth trip to the United States.[7] His mission was to try to explain to American audiences that Japan's invasion of China in theSecond Sino-Japanese War, was to stop the spread ofCommunism.[8] As for Japan's relationship with the United States, Takeshita stated that "No Japanese warship has ever crossed the Pacific except on a mission of peace," he said during a radio broadcast inSan Francisco. "No Japanese soldier has ever come to these shores except on a similar mission."[9]
In February 1937, Takeshita was appointed head of theJapanese Boy Scouts,Sea Scouts, andYMCA. This was part of the generalmilitarization of Japanese sports and athletics taking place at that time.[10] Later that year, he was also approached about becoming the head of theJapanese Amateur Athletic Federation, but he declined this offer.[11]
In May 1939, Takeshita became the third president of theJapan Sumo Association.[12] He held this post until November 1945.[13]
In April 1941, he became head of Japan's New Sword Society. This organization supported makers of modernJapanese swords that were handmade in the traditional fashion.[14]
Takeshita died in Tokyo in July 1949.[15] Coincidentally he made his home in the area ofTakeshita Street inShibuya, Tokyo. The Takeshita place name dates from the Edo era.
Takeshita first heard ofMorihei Ueshiba through his colleague at the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, AdmiralSeikyo Asano, who was studyingDaito-ryu aiki jujutsu (the forerunner ofaikido) under Ueshiba atAyabe. In 1925, Takeshita went to Ayabe to see Ueshiba and was so impressed that he recommended Ueshiba toYamamoto Gonnohyoe, a retired admiral and formerPrime Minister of Japan. This recommendation caused Yamamoto to invite Ueshiba toTokyo to provide demonstrations to the Japanese military and political elite. Ueshiba's stay was however interrupted by sickness and he had to return to his hometown ofTanabe.
In February 1927, Takeshita invited Ueshiba to Tokyo again, and this time, Ueshiba settled there.[16] Takeshita's influence was such that many military officers, government officials and members of the wealthy class began practicing Ueshiba's martial art. Takeshita was not only an admirer but also an ardent practitioner of aikido, despite his age (he was almost 50). He filled notebooks with descriptions of Ueshiba's techniques, and these descriptions provide insights into the development of aikido.[17]
In 1935, Takeshita gave a demonstration of Ueshiba's art at the firstNihon Kobudo Shinkokai (Society for the Promotion of Japanese Classical Martial Arts) demonstration. Later that same year, Takeshita gave public demonstrations of aikido inSeattle,Washington and Washington, D.C; this was the introduction of aikido to the United States.[18]
In 1940, Takeshita was instrumental in providing a legal identity to Ueshiba'sKobukan organization by founding the Kobukai Foundation and becoming its first president. Also, in 1941, Takeshita used his influence to arrange a demonstration of aikido by Ueshiba at theImperial Palace. The demonstration took place in front of theImperial family. Although ill, Ueshiba gave a spectacular exhibition, which greatly impressed the nobility.[1]
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