Mitsuhei Obuchi

Mitsuhei Obuchi (Obuchi Mitsuhei, born February 26, 1904 – August 26, 1958) was a Japanese politician and entrepreneur. He hails from Isamura, Agatsuma District, Gunma Prefecture (now Nakanojo Town). He served two terms as a member of the House of Representatives; his eldest son was the second mayor of Nakanojo Town in Gunma Prefecture, Mitsuhei Obuchi, and his second son was Keizo Obuchi, the 84th Prime Minister of Japan.

[Career]

Born on February 26, 1904 (Meiji 37) in Isamura, Agatsuma District, Gunma Prefecture, as the eldest son of Shinpei Obuchi, a farmer and silk reeling merchant, and his wife Kichi. Due to his father's health issues, he helped with household finances from a young age. In 1921 (Taisho 10), he graduated from Nakanojo Commercial Supplementary School, and in 1923 (Taisho 12), his father passed away. Subsequently, in 1925 (Taisho 14), he acquired a silk-reeling factory belonging to the Kusumi Company in Tobira Village, beginning silk manufacturing business. In 1928 (Showa 3), he relocated the factory to Ise-cho, Nakanojo Town, and established "Koyama-sha Obuchi Silk Reeling Mill."

He further established a freight automobile company and was first elected as a councilor of Nakanojo Town in 1942 (Showa 17). Although the silk reeling company was forced to cease operations due to corporate restructuring orders in 1933 (Showa 8), he was awarded the Blue Ribbon Medal of Honor on December 6, 1944 (Showa 19). After World War II, in 1946 (Showa 21), he resumed business activities, expanding into warehouses, transportation, lumber, electricity, and other sectors. He built the Koyama-sha Group centered on these businesses.

[Election history and political activities]

In the 1947 (Showa 22) general election for the House of Representatives, he ran in Gunma's 3rd district as the Japan Liberal Party candidate but was unsuccessful. In the 24th (1949) general election, he was elected for the first time, running as a Democratic Liberal Party candidate, defeating Eiko Mogami by 2,150 votes. In subsequent elections, he was defeated in 1952 (Showa 27), 1953 (Showa 28), and 1955 (Showa 30), but was re-elected in 1958 (Showa 33) as a Liberal Democratic Party candidate, beating Unjoro Muto.

[Death and honors]

On August 26, 1958 (Showa 33), he suddenly vomited in front of the Akamon Gate of the University of Tokyo and was rushed to Juntendo University Hospital. He died suddenly from a cerebral infarction. In his memory, he was posthumously awarded the Fourth Class Order of the Rising Sun (Kyokujitsu-sho) and was conferred the Senior Fifth Rank.

[Family and relatives]

His father was Shinpei Obuchi, and his mother was Kichi. His wife was Chiyo Obuchi, who served as an officer of Koyama-sha Silk Reeling Mill. His eldest son, Mitsuhei Obuchi, became the second mayor of Nakanojo Town; his second son, Keizo Obuchi, served as the 84th Prime Minister of Japan. Keizo’s wife was environmental activist Chikuriko Obuchi. Their children include illustrator Akiko Obuchi and House of Representatives member Yuko Obuchi. His younger brother was Iwataro Obuchi, a former military officer and officer at Koyama-sha.

[Major positions]

- Member of Gunma Prefecture Local Labor Committee

- Chairman of Gunma Traffic Safety Association Federation

- Director of Japan Silk Association

- Executive Director of Japan Trucking Association

- Chairman of Gunma Trucking Association

- Advisor to Gunma Judo Club, Head of Agatsuma District Branch

- Secretary of the Liberal Democratic Party

- Chairman of the Gunma Prefectural Branch Federation of the Liberal Democratic Party

- Branch head of Agatsuma District

[Personality]

As a member of the House of Representatives, he worked on the extension of the Agatsuma Line and measures related to sericulture. He held a third-degree black belt in judo, was a contemporary of Prime Minister Eisaku Sato, and maintained a good relationship with him. A memorial stone engraved by Sato can be found at a temple in Nakanojo Town.

[Related works and persons]

Related materials include Sato Murakami’s "Learning from Former President Mitsuhei Obuchi" and "Biographies of Agatsuma District Figures." Related individuals include Munekatsu Kobayashi and Enji Kubota.