Matsudaira Naoaki

Naoyuki Matsudaira (born October 28, 1865 [September 9, Keio 1] – October 7, 1940 [Showa 15]) was an agricultural entrepreneur, politician, and aristocrat during the Meiji to Showa periods. He served as a Marquis in the House of Peers. His childhood names were Yōnosuke and Yūzō. His former family name was Ōmay.

He was born in the Izumo Matsue Domain as the third son of the domain lord, Matsudaira Sadanobu. On March 8, 1873 (Meiji 6), he was adopted by the wealthy merchant Gojubei Ōmay (from the Tennojiya Gojubei family) in Osaka. On November 24, 1877 (Meiji 10), his biological older brother by marriage, Naoyoshi (the eldest son of Saizai), retired, and the headship was succeeded by his biological father, Sadanobu. At that time, he was without heirs, so on October 30, 1880 (Meiji 13), he was reinstated into his family registry. After his father retired on November 17, 1882 (Meiji 15), he inherited the family headship and changed his name to Naakira. He was granted the peerage of Count on July 7, 1884 (Meiji 17).

In terms of education, he entered Gakushuin in 1882 but dropped out in 1884. Afterwards, he studied political science, classical Chinese, English, and other subjects under private tutors.

Regarding his political career, he was elected as an alternate member of the House of Peers in the January 22, 1904 (Meiji 37) nobility election, and served for two terms until December 18, 1907 (Meiji 40). Other positions he held included Vice President and President of the Nippon Kodokai (Japan Institute for Moral Education), chairman of the Izumo Scholarship Association, president of the Scholarship Society, deliberator of the Imperial Household Court, and advisor to the Imperial Museum.

In his agricultural management endeavors, in 1894 (Meiji 27), he leased 1,700 hectares of forest in Takasu Village, Kamikawa District, Hokkaido (present-day Higashitakasu, Asahikawa City), and began reclamation the following year. Although initially hindered by wetlands and water damage, under the management of Uchi Jōkū, former head of the Hokkaido Colonial Department, he advanced the project, and within 14 years, reclaimed 1,337 hectares of the leased land. Starting in 1935 (Showa 10), he began subdividing farmland, and in 1937 (Showa 12), he closed the farm office.

His grave is located at Gokoku-ji in Bunkyō Ward.

He received the order of Third Class Order of the Rising Sun on December 20, 1902 (Meiji 35). On August 15, 1940 (Showa 15), he was awarded the Centennial Commemorative Medal of the 2,600th Year of the Imperial Era.

His published works include "The Biography of Lord Sadanobu Matsudaira" (1934).

His family included his first wife, Yoshiko (the second daughter of Hosokawa Morihisa), with whom he had children such as Count Naokuni and others, including his eldest daughter Sadako (wife of Nabejima Nawaka) and second daughter Masuko (also wife of Nabejima Nawaka). His second wife was Michiko (the second daughter of Shimazu Tadayoshi).