Statue of Shibusawa Eiichi

Shibusawa Eiichi (渋沢 栄一 Shibuzawa Eiichi, March 16, 1840 - November 11, 1931) was a Japanese industrialist. He founded the First National Bank of Japan, and is known as the "father of Japanese capitalism." Shibusawa was born in Fukaya, Saitama Prefecture. He spearheaded a campaign to redeem the reputation of businessmen in Japan from the Edo period official ideology, which placed merchants at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x1600, 390 KB) Description: a statue of Japanese entrepreneur Shibusawa Eiichi (渋沢栄一) in Tokiwabashi Park, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x1600, 390 KB) Description: a statue of Japanese entrepreneur Shibusawa Eiichi (渋沢栄一) in Tokiwabashi Park, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (76th in leap years). ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Business magnate. ... The Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Limited ), abbreviated as DKB ), was one of the largest banks in the world during the latter half of the 20th century. ... This box:      Capitalism generally refers to an economic system in which the means of production are mostly privately [1] owned and operated for profit and in which distribution, production and pricing of goods and services are determined in a largely free market. ... Fukaya (深谷市 Fukaya-shi) is a city located in the north of Saitama, Japan. ... Saitama Prefecture (埼玉県; Saitama-ken) is located on Honshu island, Japan. ... The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article History of Japan#Edo Period. ...

Life

Shibusawa Eiichi was born on February 13, 1840 in a farmhouse in Chiaraijima (located in the present-day city of Fukaya, Saitama prefecture). As a boy, he learned reading and writing from his father. He grew up helping with the family business of dry field farming, indigo production and sale, and silk raising and later studied the Confucian classics and the history of Japan under Odaka Junchu, a scholar who was his cousin. February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Confucian temple in Jiading district, Shanghai. ... The written history of Japan began with brief appearances in Chinese history texts from the first century AD. However, archaeological research indicates that people were living on the islands of Japan as early as the upper paleolithic period. ...

Under the influence of sonnō jōi (expel the barbarians; revere the emperor) sentiment, he formulated a plan along with cousins and friends to capture Takasaki Castle and set fires in the foreign settlement in Yokohama. Ultimately, however, this plan was cancelled and he moved on to Kyoto. Sonnō jōi (尊皇攘夷) is a Japanese political philosophy and a social movement, which was derived from Neo-Confucianism; it was also a political slogan in 1850s-60s, meaning Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarians, or being commonly translated as The origin of the philosophy can be seen in Takenouchi Shikibu... For the town of Yokohama in Aomori Prefecture, see Yokohama, Aomori. ... Kyoto )   is a city in the central part of the island of HonshÅ«, Japan. ...

Shibusawa left his home town at the age of twenty-three, and entered the service of Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu (then in line for the position of shogun). He distinguished himself by his work in strengthening the household finances of the Hitotsubashi family. Tokugawa Yoshinobu in French military uniform, c. ... Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate Shogun ) is a military rank and historical title in Japan. ...

When he was twenty-seven years old, he visited France and other European countries as a member of Tokugawa Akitake's Delegation to the Paris World Exposition. World map showing the location of Europe. ...

In this trip Shibusawa observed modern European societies and cultures for the first time, and realized the importance of industrial and economic development. Young people interacting within an ethnically diverse society. ... Culture (from the [[Latin)) cultura stemming from colere, meaning to cultivate), generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ... Economic development is a sustainable increase in living standards that implies increased per capita income, better education and health as well as environmental protection. ...

After returning from Europe at the news of the change of governments now known as the Meiji Restoration, he established the Shoho Kaisho, one of the first joint stock company in Japan, in Shizuoka prefecture. Afterwards, he was invited by the Meiji government to become a member of the Ministry of Finance, where he became a driving force in the building of a modern Japan as head of the Kaisei Kakari, or office of the Ministry of Finance in charge of reform. The Meiji Restoration ), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japans political and social structure. ... A joint stock company is a type of business partnership in which the capital is formed by the individual contributions of a group of shareholders. ... Shizuoka Prefecture ) is located in the ChÅ«bu region on HonshÅ« island, Japan. ... The Ministry of Finance (財務省; Zaimu-sho) is one of ministries of the Japanese government. ...

In 1873 Shibusawa resigned from the Ministry of Finance and became the president of the Dai-Ichi Kokuritsu Ginko (lit. First National Bank). This was Japan's first modern bank, established under his own guidance while still employed by the Ministry of Finance. With this bank as a base, Shibusawa devoted himself to founding and encouraging businesses of all sorts. 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Limited ), abbreviated as DKB ), was one of the largest banks in the world during the latter half of the 20th century. ... Banker redirects here; see wiktionary:banker for more meanings. ...

Shibusawa was an advocate throughout his life of the idea that good ethics and business should be in harmony. The number of enterprises in which he was involved as founder or supporter is said to exceed 500. For example, today's Mizuho Financial Group, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Imperial Hotel, Keihan Electric Railway, Taiheiyo Cement, Sapporo Breweries, NYK Line. Moreover, he spearheaded many works for the betterment of society, and was an enthusiastic supporter of education, especially higher education in the field of business, higher education for women, and private schools. Shibusawa involved himself in some 600 projects related to education, social welfare, and others. The headquarters of Mizuho Financial Group near the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. ... Facade and pool of Imperial Hotel in the Museum Meiji-Mura Imperial Hotel, Ltd. ... Keihan 1900 Series keihan 9000 Series Keihan 10000 Series Keihan 8000 Series Keihan Bus Keihan Electric Railway Co. ... Taiheiyo Cement Corporation ) (TYO: 5233 ) is a Japanese cement company, and is the biggest of its kind in Japan. ... A can of Sapporo Classic beer Sapporo Breweries Limited ) is a Japanese company that makes beer, headquartered in Ebisu, Tokyo. ... The Japan-based Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, Nippon Yusen Kaisha (日本郵船), or NYK Line, is one of the largest shipping companies in the world. ... Diverse women. ... Private schools, or independent schools, are schools not administered by local, state, or national government, which retain the right to select their student body and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students tuition rather than with public (state) funds. ... A social welfare provision refers to any government program which seeks to provide a minimum level of income, service or other support for disadvantaged groups such as the poor, elderly, disabled and students. ...

In addition, Shibusawa made efforts to promote exchange of goods and goodwill across national boundaries through private-sector diplomacy. Numerous guests from overseas visited the Shibusawa residence in Asukayama, where they talked candidly with him.

Having lived through a time of great change and having stood personally in the vanguard of change in a new era, Shibusawa died at the age of ninety-one on November 11, 1931. November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ...

See also

• Suematsu Kencho

[Text quoted from Shibusawa Ei'ichi Memorial Foundation homepage] Categories: Japanese authors | Japanese historians | Japanese statesmen | Japan-related stubs ...