什麼是山縣有朋

Yamagata Aritomo

日本議會政體下的第一位首相（1889～1891，1898～1900）。出身為長州藩最下層的武士家庭。為提出「尊王攘夷」口號的改革派分子。1863年被選為長州藩改革派組成的騎兵隊指揮官。1864年下關事件（西方列強的混合艦隊炮轟長州）使他認清，要擁有與西方列強相等的現代化武器。參與明治維新後，出國學習軍事基本原理。後任約一萬名士兵的帝國近衛軍司令。實行徵兵制；1877年山縣統軍平亂，西鄉隆盛在薩摩藩武士起兵反對政府。政治上他比伊藤博文更為保守。身為日本首相，採取擴張政策，在中國發生義和團運動時，日本在八國聯軍中出兵最多。他盡力鎮壓在日本國內剛出現的勞工運動。退休後，仍擔任樞密院議長。亦請參閱Meiji Constitution、Meiji period。

1838～1922年

Yamagata Aritomo

First prime minister under Japan's parliamentary regime (1889-91, 1898-1900). As a samurai youth in Choshu, Yamagata was among those who answered the foreign threat with the slogan Sonno joi, “Honor the emperor and expel the barbarians.” Bombardment of the Choshu coast in 1864 convinced him of the need for modern armaments. After participating in the Meiji Restoration, he went abroad to research military institutions. He became commander of an Imperial Guard of 10,000 troops. When he introduced conscription, bearing arms ceased to be the exclusive prerogative of a warrior class. His forces defeated Saigo Takamori's troops in 1877. In politics he was more conservative than his contemporary Ito Hirobumi, favoring a strong executive. As prime minister, his policies were expansionist; Japan sent the largest of all foreign forces to China to quell the Boxer Rebellion. He increased the autonomy of the military and tried to suppress an incipient social-labor movement. After retirement, he continued to wield power as a genro (elder statesman). See also Meiji Constitution, Meiji period.