Zengorō Yasuda

Yasuda Zengorō (June 26, 1886 – January 10, 1963) was a Japanese businessman. He was born in Fukushima Prefecture as the third son of Yasuda Zenjirō. His childhood name was Saburōhiko.

He graduated as part of the 17th class from Fukushima Prefectural Asaka Junior High School (now Fukushima Prefectural Asaka High School), then moved to Tokyo for further education. He founded the “Sekizen Dormitory” in Kojimachi, inspired by his father Zenjirō's words “A house that accumulates virtue will surely have surplus blessings,” and provided financial assistance to students.

His career was diverse. In 1919, he became president of Yasuda Bank, and in 1921, he was appointed president of Keihin Electric Railway Co., Ltd. That same year, following his father’s death, he succeeded Yasuda Zenbei, Yasuda Zen’e, and Yasuda Zensuke as a director of Hosei-sha. Unlike his gentle older brother Yasuda Zenjirō, Zengorō was known for his aggressive personality and wielded significant influence within the family, often clashing with Executive Director Toyotaro Yuki.

During the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923, his estate in Honjo Yokogami, Honjo Ward, was caught in a fire, and he reportedly was prepared to die, but managed to escape by boat. In 1926, he became president of Yasuda Life Insurance Co., Ltd., and in 1935, he was appointed president of Ōgaki Kyoritsu Bank and Shikoku Bank.

In 1936, he became president of Yasuda Trust, and from that year, he also served as a supervisor for Yasuda Ichihoshinsha. He simultaneously served as president of Teikoku Seimai Co., Ltd. In 1938, he assumed the presidency of Higo Bank. During the wartime, in 1942, he was appointed director of Amagasaki Port Construction.

After the war, he was purged from public office due to his role as president of Yasuda Trust but was reinstated in 1951. Postwar, he continued to serve as an executive in companies related to Yasuda Trust and Yasuda Zenjirō.

In his personal life, he married Takako, the fourth daughter of Keijiro Honbo, on February 17, 1892, and had several children. His children include his eldest daughter Mitsuko, second daughter Takeko, third daughter Nobuko (who later married Kichiro Nezu, president of Tobu Railway), fourth daughter Shōe (Mrs. Boku Hagiya), and also Umeko and Sukeiko. His adopted heir was Shiro Sugita, who married Mitsuko.

He authored the work "Jihaku no Ki" (Memoirs of Confession) in 1951.

He passed away on January 10, 1963, in his home in Shinjuku, Tokyo, due to a cerebral thrombosis. A memorial service was held at Tsukiji Honganji on January 13.