Nagaoka Gaishi

Count Gaishi Nagaoka (長岡 外史, Nagaoka Gaishi, June 23, 1858 – April 21, 1933) was a Japanese military officer. He served in the First Sino-Japanese War and was Vice Chief of the General Staff in Japan during the Russo-Japanese War. He became a member of the House of Representatives in 1924.[1]

Gaishi Nagaoka 長岡 外史
Born	June 23, 1858 Tsuno District, Chōshū Domain, Suō Province, Japan. (Now Kudamatsu, Yamaguchi)
Died	April 21, 1933 (aged 74)
Allegiance	Empire of Japan
Service/branch	Imperial Japanese Army

Nagaoka Gaishi

History

Gaishi Nagaoka was born Suō Province in 1858. His father, San'emon Hori (堀 三右衛門, Hori Sanemon) , was an adopted son of Nanyo Nagaoka (長岡 南陽, Nagaoka Nanyō) who was a feudal retainer of Tokuyama Domain.

Military career

After studying at Meirinkan, he graduated from the Imperial Military Academy in 1878 and from the Army War College in 1885 as a first class student.

In the Russo-Japanese War, he won a crushing victory in the Battle of Tsushima. He also persuaded Aritomo Yamagata and the navy to carry out the successful Karafuto Sakusen. As a result, this operation had a great influence on the cession of southern Sakhalin in the Treaty of Portsmouth.

He taught students from the Qing dynasty, and Chiang Kai-shek, who later became President of the Republic of China, looked up to him as his teacher.

Political carrier

In May 1924, he was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th general election from the Yamaguchi 7th district.

Death

Died of a bladder tumour at Keio University Hospital in 1933. He was 76 years old.

Nagaoka's grave is located in Aoyama Cemetery. There is a statue of Nagaoka and a foreign history park honouring him in the national lodging house in Oshiro on Kasado Island, in Kudamatsu, Yamaguchi. In Kudamatsu City, there is a "Nagaoka Gaishi history Commendation Association."

References

1. National Archives of Japan Name of persons Retrieved March 29, 2016