was a politician and cabinet minister in the pre-war
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...
.
Maeda was a native of
Wakayama Prefecture, and a graduate of the Tokyo Hōgakuin (the predecessor to the law school of
Chuo University). He received his law degree in 1903. He was elected to the
Lower House
A lower house is the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature, where the other chamber is the upper house. Although styled as "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has come to wield more power or otherwise e ...
of the
Diet of Japan
, transcription_name = ''Kokkai''
, legislature = 215th Session of the National Diet
, coa_pic = Flag of Japan.svg
, house_type = Bicameral
, houses =
, foundation=29 November 1890(), leader1_type ...
in the
1917 General Election, under the
Rikken Seiyūkai
The was one of the main political party, political parties in the pre-war Empire of Japan. It was also known simply as the ''Seiyūkai''.
Founded on September 15, 1900, by Itō Hirobumi,David S. Spencer, "Some Thoughts on the Political Devel ...
banner, and was subsequently reelected to the same seat during the next nine elections. Maeda served as
Secretary-General
Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, Power (social and political), power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the org ...
of the party in 1925. In 1927, Prime Minister
Tanaka Giichi picked Maeda as his Director-General of the
Cabinet Legislation Bureau. Maeda subsequent was appointed
Minister of Commerce and Industry under the
Inukai administration in 1931. He returned to the Cabinet under the
Hirota administration as
Railway Minister in 1936. In 1939, Maeda was asked to resume his post as Railway Minister under the
Hiranuma administration.
As with all other Japanese politicians, Maeda was forced to join the
Taisei Yokusankai created by Prime Minister
Fumimaro Konoe in 1940, and served as the party's Chairman for Administrative Affairs. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Maeda served as
Minister of Transport and Communications, under the
Koiso administration.
After the
surrender of Japan
The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was Hirohito surrender broadcast, announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally Japanese Instrument of Surrender, signed on 2 September 1945, End of World War II in Asia, ending ...
, Maeda joined the
Japan Progressive Party, which had emerged under the
occupation of Japan. However, he was
purge
In history, religion and political science, a purge is a position removal or execution of people who are considered undesirable by those in power from a government, another, their team leaders, or society as a whole. A group undertaking such an ...
d from public office in 1946 along with all other members of the wartime administration. In 1952, with the end of the occupation of Japan, he became one of the founding members of the
Liberal Party
The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world.
The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...
headed by
Shigeru Yoshida, forming his own faction within the party. However, he was defeated in the
1953 General Election, and went into retirement. Maeda died the following year.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maeda, Yonezo
1882 births
1954 deaths
People from Wakayama Prefecture
Government ministers of Japan
Rikken Seiyūkai politicians
Imperial Rule Assistance Association politicians
Liberal Party (Japan, 1945) politicians
Members of the House of Representatives (Empire of Japan)
Japan Progressive Party politicians