การศึกษาเปรียบเทียบความคิดของ ยามางาตะ อาริโทโมะและฮาระ ทาคาชิ ที่มีต่อจักรพรรดิไทโช

Abstract

This research aims for comparative study of the thought of Yamagata Aritomo and Hara Takashi on Taisho emperor and how it affected the formulation of political policies in Japan on Taisho emperor. This research uses the study of documents and writings that mentioned the thought and practice of Yamagata Aritomo and Hara Takashi on Taisho emperor. The study showed that the thought of Yamagata and Hara didn’t go along completely but eventually, both of them needed to adapt their thought to unwind the political problem. The thought of Yamagata on Taisho emperor since he was a crown prince was to dominate the emperor power as Yamagata did in Meiji period. However, Yamagata also concerned about a crown prince’s health since he was born because it could cause Japan to lack of a king’s successor. Taisho emperor’s sickness was aggravated after he reigned for six years and resulted in his inability to perform the duties of the emperor. Moreover, Taisho emperor’s personality was like human that he was usually friendly with people around him that was different from his father, Meiji emperor. Yamagata thought that Taisho emperor should adjust his personality to suit with emperor status that was a divine king to build a confidence with courtiers. Since Taisho emperor reigned in year 1912 with the lack of political experience, Yamagata and Hara concerned that Taisho emperor might be persuaded by political groups to make policies that benefited for them. Eventually, there was the thought to appoint a regent that Hara agreed to appoint immediately. However, Yamagata concerned about the image of the emperor regime that could be devastated by the announcement of the sickness of Taisho emperor and the problem on readiness of the crown prince. Therefore, Yamagata didn’t agree with Hara at the first time. Although Hara would be assassinated in year 1921, Yamagata accepted to adapt the thought of the announcement of a regent in the same year. It could be said that the thought of Hara and Yamagata might have some conflicting points, but they had the same goal. That was to sustain the emperor regime so that the traditional political style could be carry on.