Kazue Shōda

Kazue Shōda was a Japanese statesman in the Meiji and Taishō periods.

Biography

Shōda was born in Matsuyama Domain, Iyo Province on October 19 1869, as the 5th son of a poor samurai. The poet Masaoka Shiki and admiral Akiyama Saneyuki were his friends from childhood. He graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1895, and obtained a position at the Ministry of Finance. In 1915, he rose to the position of president of the Bank of Chōsen. He was appointed Finance Minister under the Terauchi and Kiyoura Cabinets, and Education Minister under the Tanaka Giichi Cabinet. In 1938, he was considered for the post of Home Minister under the Second Konoe Cabinet, a somewhat surprising choice, given his age and lack of experience in the Home Ministry, and the nomination was rejected by Emperor Hirohito.
He died on October 10, 1948.