Kan'ichi Irie

Kanichi Irie (March 6, 1879 – April 22, 1955) was a Japanese bureaucrat. He served as Director-General of the Imperial Household Agency Finance Bureau and as a member of the House of Peers. His family registry at birth listed him as the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Yasumichi Nomura; he was born in Tokyo Prefecture and became an orphan at age two, succeeding to the family headship of his adoptive older brother, Kyuuichi Irie.

His career is as follows: He graduated from Tokyo Metropolitan Middle School and the former Yamaguchi High School. In July 1906 (Meiji 39), he graduated from the Law Department of Tokyo Imperial University and started working at Kanagawa Prefectural Office on July 14 of the same year. Later that year, he passed the Higher Civil Service Examination.

On March 19, 1907 (Meiji 40), he was appointed as a Bureau Official in the Home Ministry, working in the Taiwan Section and the Local Government Bureau. On May 1, he concurrently served in the Karafuto Section, and on October 9, became an administrator in Yamanashi Prefecture. He was involved in resettlement efforts to Hokkaido to assist recovery from major floods in 1907.

He also held positions such as Director of the Military and Education Division and the Agriculture and Commerce Division within the Home Ministry. On August 29, 1908, he was appointed Secretary of the Privy Council and also served as the Secretary to the Chairman of the Privy Council. On August 29, 1914, he became an official at the High Capture Review Office, and on August 10, 1917, he was appointed an counselor at the Legal Affairs Bureau.

On September 14, 1920, he became Director of the Cabinet Entitlement Bureau and a Secretary of the Privy Council. On April 7, 1923, he was appointed as Chief Secretary to the Internal Minister, a Counselor of the Imperial Household Agency, a Counselor of the Legal Affairs Bureau, and a Secretary of the Privy Council. He took office as Internal Head of the Imperial Household on April 9, 1924, and was dismissed from the Privy Council Secretary position in December of the same year. On March 31, 1925, he became the sole Internal Head of the Imperial Household, resigning from the Privy Council Secretary position voluntarily.

In December 1925, he was appointed Director-General of the Imperial Household Agency Finance Bureau, a position he held until August 1932, when he resigned voluntarily. In April 1934, he was appointed Vice Director of the Manchukuo Imperial Household Department. On July 4, 1939, he was elected to the House of Peers.

After World War II, in January 1940 (Showa 15), he became a director of the Entitlement Fund, later serving as chairman from September that year. Due to public service suspension during the postwar occupation of officials, he was removed from office in 1946 but was reinstated in August 1951. He passed away on April 22, 1955.

Regarding honors: On December 10, 1907 (Meiji 40), he received Junior Seventh Rank; on December 11, 1908 (Meiji 41), Senior Seventh Rank; on November 11, 1910 (Meiji 43), Junior Sixth Rank; and on February 10, 1913 (Taisho 2), Senior Sixth Rank. Later, he earned Fifth Rank on February 10, 1915; Fourth Rank on August 30, 1917; and Third Rank on October 20, 1920. His medals include the Korea Annexation Commemorative Medal in 1912, the Fourth Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers in 1916, the Fourth Order of the Sacred Treasure in 1920, the Third Order of the Sacred Treasure in 1924, the Second Class of the Order of the Rising Sun with Neck Ribbon in 1924, and the 2600th Emperor's Anniversary Commemorative Medal in 1940. He also received the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor of France on January 22, 1913.

He has a biological sister, Nakabekisuke, and was related by marriage to others.

Additional documents related to him are archived at the Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum of Literature.