Rokuichiro Masujima

Rokuichiro Masujima (増島 六一郎, Masujima Rokuichirō, 1857–1948) was a British-Japanese international lawyer, diplomat, legal adviser of the Japanese Ambassador to London, member of Middle Temple and founder of Chuo University.[1][2][3]

Rokuichiro Masujima
増島六一郎
Rokuichiro Masujima and Hiroshi Saitō
Born1857 (1857)
present day Japan
Died1948 (1949)
NationalityJapanese
OccupationLawyer, diplomat
Known forFounder of Chuo University
Japanese name
Kanji増島六一郎

Biography

His first name 'Rokuichiro' was given to him because his father was 61 years when he was born, the roku-ju-ichi means 61 in Japanese.[4]

He graduated in law school later before his fellow Chuo University founders, he also graduated from University of Tokyo in 1879 in the Law School after his talent was recognized by the founder of Mitsubishi Yataro Iwasaki, took him to England there he started Middle Temple in 1881 to 1883 during the year entrance fees were £50 in addition, he was asked to pay £100 which would be reimbursed when he had become barrister. This £100 was used for grant for employment as barrister in Inns of Court, after he was required to attend four schools semester in one year although the schooling term consists of dinner at the cafeteria of Inns Court and listening to the reading of books on a statutory law at either times of the dinners and active debate regarding legal issues and current events. He passed the required school terms written oral examination which is held in Lincoln's Inn cafeteria, the largest of the four schools. He was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1883 and moved back to Japan, he was one of the first Japanese to become a barrister in England.[5][4][6]

He retired from the field of education and began to practice law. Masujima worked as a public relations lawyer, mainly dealing with public relations litigation cases and corporate law. His achievements and fame led to him being given honorary membership of the Canadian Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association. His office expanded from Tokyo to Yokohama, Kobe and Shanghai.

In 1934, Masujima founded the Sei-Kiu-Do Common Law Library, later called the Sei-Kiu-Do Common Law Institute, originally located on his lands in the middle of Tokyo. His motivation was to develop a central theory of law that offered justice. At the time Japanese law was governed by a mixture of customary law, German civil code and part of the English law merchant.[7]

At some point during the 1930s, Masujima met Martin Taylor, President of the New York State Bar Association, on the deck of an Atlantic transport liner, which was waiting for the tide in the Thames. A strong friendship developed between the two men, which led to the setting up of the Common Law Foundation in America.[7]

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Masujima was unable to return to Japan for two years. The Sei-Kiu-Do Common Law Library suffered greatly from bomb damage.[7] After the war, Anglo-American Law Research became popular in Japan and his library was deposited in the Supreme Court of Japan in 1949, after his death.

Chuo University establishment
Chuo University in 1935

In 1885 Rokuichiro Masujima led some fellow 18 young attorneys to established the English law school as an research institute focusing Anglo-American Common Law which in 1905 was later renamed to “Chuo University” and it began operating as an college for legal, financial and political field.[8] The word 'Chuo' is said to be derived from a Japanese words “Chuo Ho-in” translated in English as Legal Training Institution Middle Temple where together with the other co-founder of Chuo University studies in England.[9]

The logo of Chuo University

After the establishment of Chuo, he became the first director of the institution.[10]

Notes
  1. "Search | Middle Temple". www.middletemple.org.uk. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  2. "Noted Japanese lawyer. Washington, D.C., July 1. Dr. Rokuichiro Masujima, internationally famous lawyer and legal advisor to the Japanese Ambassador to London, snapped at the party last night in honor of Dr. H.H. Kung, Chinese Finance Minister, at the Chinese Embassy, 7/1/37". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  3. "Traces that Remain: Chapters 29-37". bahai-library.com. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  4. "Chuo University and London : Research : Chuo Online : YOMIURI ONLINE". yab.yomiuri.co.jp. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  5. "Middle Temple: past and future". BCCJ Acumen. 2019-09-25. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  6. Japanese Biographical Index. Walter de Gruyter. 2013-02-06. ISBN 978-3-11-094798-4.
  7. Whitfield, A. (2009) 'An Honour from Japan'. Middle Templar, No. 47, Winter 2009, p.12
  8. "GYOSEISHOSHI HAKUMONKAI". www.hakumonkai.org. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  9. "Our History | About Us | CHUO UNIVERSITY -Knowledge into Action-". global.chuo-u.ac.jp. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  10. "Chuo University - Tokyo - Japan - PhDportal.com". www.phdportal.com. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
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