Nihon Essayist Club Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 23 (1975) award
Shigeharu Matsumoto
まつもと しげはる
Matsumoto Shigeharu
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1899-10-02 （Dojima, Osaka City, Japan）
- Died
- 1989-01-10 （Tokyo, Japan） age 89
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
Career
- Occupations
- journalist, editor, foundation executive
- Active Years
- 1926-1989
- Affiliations
- Domei Tsushin (Domei News Agency), The International House of Japan
- Influenced By
- Yashaku Takagi, Inazo Nitobe, Charles A. Beard (historian)
- Influenced
- Yoshiyuki Tsurumi (associated with The International House)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyogo Prefectural Kobe High School (Kobe First Middle School) | — | — | — | 〜1917 | Japan |
| First Higher School (old system) | — | — | — | 1917〜1920 | Japan |
| Tokyo Imperial University, Faculty of Law | Faculty of Law | — | — | 1920〜1927（進学・助手含む） | Japan |
| Yale University (study abroad) | — | — | — | 1924（留学） | United States |
| University of Wisconsin (study abroad) | — | — | — | 1925（留学） | United States |
| University of Geneva (study abroad) | — | — | — | 1926（留学） | Switzerland |
Hyogo Prefectural Kobe High School (Kobe First Middle School)
Period:
〜1917
Country:
Japan
First Higher School (old system)
Period:
1917〜1920
Country:
Japan
Tokyo Imperial University, Faculty of Law
Faculty of Law
Period:
1920〜1927（進学・助手含む）
Country:
Japan
Entered graduate school and later served as an assistant
Yale University (study abroad)
Period:
1924（留学）
Country:
United States
University of Wisconsin (study abroad)
Period:
1925（留学）
Country:
United States
University of Geneva (study abroad)
Period:
1926（留学）
Country:
Switzerland
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Order of the Sacred Treasure, First Class | — | — | Government of Japan | 受章 |
| 1976 | Person of Cultural Merit | — | — | Agency for Cultural Affairs (Government of Japan) | 受賞 |
| 1975 | 23rd Japan Essayist Club Award | Shanghai Era: Memoirs of a Journalist (Chuko Bunko edition) | — | Japan Essayist Club | 受賞 |
Order of the Sacred Treasure, First Class
1969
Organization:
Government of Japan
Result:
受章
Person of Cultural Merit
1976
Organization:
Agency for Cultural Affairs (Government of Japan)
Result:
受賞
23rd Japan Essayist Club Award
1975
Work:
Shanghai Era: Memoirs of a Journalist (Chuko Bunko edition)
Organization:
Japan Essayist Club
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Shanghai Era: Memoirs of a Journalist
1974 memoir / historicalA three-volume memoir recalling his journalistic life in Shanghai and international affairs of the time, covering interwar and wartime diplomacy and press work.
international exchangejournalismJapan-China relationsdiplomatic history
The Konoe Era: Memoirs of a Journalist
1986 memoir / historicalA two-volume memoir about Fumimaro Konoe and the era, compiling reporting experiences and personal views on prewar and wartime politics.
Showa historypolitical historyFumimaro Konoe
Thinking About Japan's International Future
1988 essays / commentaryA collection of essays on international relations and Japan's future.
international relationsdiplomacy
Bibliography
- Shanghai Era: Memoirs of a Journalist (Chuko Shinsho, 3 vols)
- The Konoe Era: Memoirs of a Journalist (Chuko Shinsho, 2 vols)
- Thinking About Japan's International Future (Asahi Shimbun, 1988)
- US-Japan Relations in International Context: Collected Essays by Shigeharu Matsumoto (Chuo Koron, 1992)
- A Testimony to Showa History (interviewed by Masao Kunihiro, Mainichi Shimbun, 1986)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- memoir-like narrationconcise style emphasizing factual reportingblend of historical account and commentary
- Recurring Motifs
- international exchangeinside stories of diplomacy and politicsthe journalist's perspective
Legacy
Evaluated as a journalist and a promoter of cultural exchange who bridged prewar and postwar Japan through long service at Domei News Agency and The International House of Japan. He made major contributions to founding and sustaining the International House, while his wartime activities and ties to Fumimaro Konoe have drawn scholarly criticism.
Academic Societies
- American Studies Association (Japan)
Archives
- The International House of Japan Archives
- Chuo Koron Publishing / Chuko Bunko publication records
Quotes
-
an innkeeper (yadoya no oyaji)
Source: Contemporary evaluations (Asahi Shimbun and biographical writings) (1976)
Trivia
- During the 1927 financial panic he reportedly lost most of his assets, inheriting only ¥12.50.
- Worked tirelessly to establish and run The International House of Japan, serving as its chairman.