Yoshisuke Aikawa

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Yoshisuke Aikawa

Role / Field:

Founder of Nissan zaibatsu, a pivotal Japanese industrialist and politician.

Born:

1880-11-06

Died:

1967-02-13

Century / Era:

1880s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Yoshisuke Aikawa (or Gisuke Ayukawa) (鮎川 義介, Aikawa Yoshisuke; 6 November 1880 – 13 February 1967) was a Japanese entrepreneur, businessman, and politician, noteworthy as the founder and first president of the Nissan zaibatsu, one of Japan's most powerful business conglomerates around the time of the Second World War. Aikawa was born in what is now part of Yamaguchi city, Yamaguchi Prefecture. His mother was the niece of Meiji period genrō Inoue Kaoru. He graduated from the engineering department of Tokyo Imperial University in 1903 and went to work for Shibaura Seisakusho, the forerunner of Toshiba. Although his pay was very low, Aikawa managed to save enough to make a trip to the United States, where he studied malleable cast iron technology.

Career & Major Achievements

After his return to Japan, with the backing of Inoue Kaoru and other ex-Chōshū politicians in the Diet of Japan, he established the Tobata Foundry in Kitakyūshū in 1909. The company is now known as Hitachi Kinzoku (Hitachi Metals Company Ltd). In 1928, Aikawa became president of the Kuhara Mining Company (present day Nippon Mining & Metals Company) taking over from his brother-in-law Fusanosuke Kuhara and created a holding company called Nihon Sangyo, or Nissan for short. Kuhara went on to a career in politics, forging ties with future Prime Minister Tanaka Giichi and other political and military leaders, which Aikawa would later use to his advantage. In the stock market boom following the 1931 Mukden incident, Aikawa used the opportunity to buy majority shareholdings in 132 subsidiary companies of Nissan to create a new zaibatsu, the Nissan Group (日産コンツェルン, Nissan Kontserun; "Nissan Concern").

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The companies included Nissan Motors, Isuzu, NEC Corporation, Nippon Mining Holdings Company, Nissan Chemicals, Hitachi, Nichiyu Corporation, Nichirei Corporation, Nissan Marine Insurance, Nissan Mutual Life Insurance and others. The group included some of the most technologically advanced companies in Japan at the time. In 1937, at the invitation of his relative Nobusuke Kishi, he moved to Manchukuo and agreed with the Japanese Kwantung Army's vision of a syndicalist economy and centralized industrial development plan for Manchukuo. He also moved the headquarters of Nissan to Manchukuo, where it became the core of the Manchurian Industrial Development Company, a new Manchukuo zaibatsu. In his position as president and chairman, Aikawa guided all industrial efforts in Manchukuo, implementing two five-year plans during the 1930s that followed the economic and industrial vision of army ideologist, Naoki Hoshino.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1880 (1880-11-06): Birth of Yoshisuke Aikawa — Founder of Nissan zaibatsu, a pivotal Japanese industrialist and politician.
2. 1903: 1903 Milestone — He graduated from the engineering department of Tokyo Imperial University in 1903 and went to work for Shibaura Seisakusho, the forerunner of Toshiba.
3. 1909: 1909 Milestone — After his return to Japan, with the backing of Inoue Kaoru and other ex-Chōshū politicians in the Diet of Japan, he established the Tobata Foundry in Kitakyūshū in 1909.
4. 1928: 1928 Milestone — In 1928, Aikawa became president of the Kuhara Mining Company (present day Nippon Mining & Metals Company) taking over from his brother-in-law Fusanosuke Kuhara and created a holding company called Nihon Sangyo, or Nissan for short.
5. 1931: 1931 Milestone — In the stock market boom following the 1931 Mukden incident, Aikawa used the opportunity to buy majority shareholdings in 132 subsidiary companies of Nissan to create a new zaibatsu, the Nissan Group (日産コンツェルン, Nissan Kontserun; "Nissan Concern").
6. 1937: 1937 Milestone — In 1937, at the invitation of his relative Nobusuke Kishi, he moved to Manchukuo and agreed with the Japanese Kwantung Army's vision of a syndicalist economy and centralized industrial development plan for Manchukuo.
7. 1967 (1967-02-13): Passing & Historical Legacy — Yoshisuke Aikawa passed away on 1967-02-13, leaving an enduring historical legacy.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Yoshisuke Aikawa

True or False: “Yoshisuke Aikawa was solely focused on military industrial complexes throughout his entire career.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While deeply involved in wartime industry, he also played a key role in post-war economic reconstruction and supported civilian business interests.

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• 1880 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1880
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Frequently Asked Questions about Yoshisuke Aikawa