, born was a Japanese politician, novelist, and journalist.
He was proponent of the
Freedom and People's Rights Movement
The Freedom and People's Rights Movement (自由民権運動, ''Jiyū Minken Undō'') was a Japanese political and social movement for democracy during the Meiji era, Meiji period. It pursued the formation of an elected legislature, revision of the ...
.
Born of
samurai
The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...
lineage in what is now
Ehime Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Ehime Prefecture has a population of 1,334,841 and a geographic area of 5,676 km2 (2,191 sq mi). Ehime Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the northeast, Toku ...
, he was the second son of the family. His father, Teisuke, was an accountant. He graduated from a local samurai school and became a teacher in 1869. Thereafter, he moved to Tokyo and worked for the
Ministry of Finance
A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position .
A ministry of finance's portfoli ...
for six years before going into the newspaper business. He was imprisoned twice for challenging the existing free press laws and was instrumental in forming the first national political party.
He wrote a political, proto-science fiction novel ''
Setchūbai'' (''Plum Blossoms in the Snow'', 1886). The income from his books allowed him to travel to the United States and Europe in 1888, around which time he became the temporary travelling companion of
Filipino propagandist and patriot
Jose Rizal
Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph.
Given name Mishnaic and Talmudic periods
* Jose ben Abin
* Jose ben Akabya
*Jose the Galilean
* Jose ben Halaft ...
. He would later acknowledge Rizal's influence in another novel, ''Nanyo no daiharan'' (The Great Wave in the South Seas).
In 1890 he was elected in the first national election, but was later ousted because he left 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 ...
. Suehiro was still a member of the Diet (Meiji 29) when he died in 1896 of
tongue cancer
Oral cancer, also known as oral cavity cancer, tongue cancer or mouth cancer, is a cancer of the lining of the lips, mouth, or upper throat. In the mouth, it most commonly starts as a painless red or white patch, that thickens, gets ulcerated ...
and was buried in Ehime.
Major works
Suehiro's major works include:
*''
Setchūbai'' (''Plum Blossoms in the Snow'', 1886)
*''Kakan'ō'' (''Songbirds Among Flowers'', 1889)
See also
*
Japanese literature
Japanese literature throughout most of its history has been influenced by cultural contact with neighboring Asian literatures, most notably China and its literature. Early texts were often written in pure Classical Chinese or , a Chinese-Japa ...
*
List of Japanese authors
This is an alphabetical list of writers who are Japanese, or are famous for having written in the Japanese language.
Writers are listed by the native order of Japanese names—family name followed by given name—to ensure consistency, although ...
*
Bungou Stray Dogs, appears as an antagonist and a part of military police force the "Hunting Dogs"
References
1849 births
1896 deaths
People from Uwajima, Ehime
Politicians from Ehime Prefecture
Japanese writers
Japanese politicians
Japanese journalists
{{Japan-writer-stub