英文の下に日本語の案内がございます。

In the annals of Japan's 20th century history, the story of Seigen Tanaka (1906-1993), a controversial figure who led a checkered and tempestuous life, stands out as a rarity. While many Japanese viewed Tanaka as a patriot and hero, others labelled him a traitor and a political mercenary. But in the eyes of friends and foes alike, those who knew Tanaka acknowledged he was a man of extraordinary vitality, and marveled at his unparalleled accomplishments. 

Born in the late Meiji era in a village outside Hokodate, Hokkaido, Tanaka gained admittance to Tokyo Imperial University, where he became radicalized, quickly rising to become chairman of the Japan Communist Party at the young age of 23. As a hot-blooded youth, Tanaka strived to foment revolution through bloody armed struggle with the police – which would soon land him in prison for 11 years. Severely traumatized over her son’s criminal activities, Tanaka’s mother committed suicide. Her death would shock Tanaka into making a complete break with communism, and by the end of World War II, Tanaka had made a complete about-turn, re-emerging as a right-wing, anti-communist activist. Secretly summoned for an audience with Emperor Hirohito, he subsequently dispatched a phalanx of gangsters to attack leftist demonstrators who had converged on the Imperial Palace.

Tanaka later entered the oil business, negotiating for rights with royal families in the Middle East and major petroleum firms, successfully securing petroleum concessions for his resource-poor country. In his final years, Tanaka became an environmental activist who devoted himself to developing forms of renewable energy such as solar power, and to the reform of extreme, profit-for-its-own-sake capitalism.

Among Tanaka's friends were such personages as Kazuo Taoka, godfather of Japan’s largest underworld syndicate, the Yamaguchi-gumi; Archduke Otto von Habsburg of Austria, the last heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne; Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping; and Nobel Prize-winning economist Friedrich August von Hayek.

Through years of extensive research and interviews with people who both respected and detested Tanaka, Tokumoto has produced a fresh and revealing portrait of the enigmatic fixer who earned for himself the nickname The Tiger of Tokyo. The book was published by Bungeishunju in August 2022 in Japanese.
(https://books.bunshun.jp/ud/book/num/9784163915302)

Tokumoto is author and journalist living in Tokyo. Among his other works in Japanese is The Emperors’ Files (エンペラー・ファイル) published by Bungeishunju in 2020.

Doors open at 6:00 pm. Dinner is served from 6:15 pm. The presentation starts from 7:15 pm.

Menu: Chef's Salad/ Today's Fish, Acqua Pazza Style/ Bread/ Dessert/ Coffee or Tea with One Drink. Book Break charges are 3,000 yen/ 4,000 yen (members/ non-members) per person. FCCJ members can sign up at the reception desk. Reservations cancelled less than 72 hours in advance will be charged in full. Non-members can reserve at the reception desk by email (front@fccj.or.jp). Payment is in advance till Tuesday, May 9th, 2023. No refund is available unless the event is cancelled by FCCJ.

This Book Break will not be available for online attendance.

Attendees with food restriction should inform the reception desk (front@fccj.or.jp) three days before the event.

We kindly ask for your cooperation with Covid-19 prevention measures at the reception.

Thank you.

(The talk will be in Japanese with English interpretation. No photography, no filming, and no audio-recording allowed)

 

20世紀の日本で、田中清玄のように毀誉褒貶が激しく、波乱万丈な人生を送った人物は珍しい。ある者は、彼を愛国者、英雄と呼び、ある者は、裏切り者、政商と非難する。だが、敵も味方も認めるのは、田中が持つ強烈なエネルギー、比類のない行動力だった。

明治の末、函館近郊で生まれた田中は、東京大学在学中、学生運動に飛び込んだ。23歳で日本共産党委員長に就き、革命をめざして、武装闘争を指揮する。逮捕され、11年を獄中で過ごすが、その間、母親が自殺、これをきっかけに共産主義を捨てた。戦後は右翼の黒幕となり、国内外で反共活動を行う。昭和天皇に密かに拝謁し、皇居へ押しかけた共産党のデモを、ヤクザを送って殴り倒させた。

その後、石油ビジネスに乗り込み、中東の王族や石油メジャーと交渉し、日本にいくつもの油田権益をもたらす。ところが、晩年は地球環境活動家となり、太陽光など再生可能エネルギーに取り組む。また、企業の歪な利益偏重を批判し、資本主義の見直しを訴えた。その友人には、山口組3代目の田岡一雄組長をはじめ、ハプスブルク家当主のオットー・フォン・ハプスブルク大公、中国の鄧小平副首相、ノーベル経済学者のフリードリヒ・ハイエクらが並ぶ。長年の調査と膨大な機密解除文書、インタビューを基に、「東京タイガー」と呼ばれた謎のフィクサーの姿を描く。2022年8月、文藝春秋から日本語で出版。https://books.bunshun.jp/ud/book/num/9784163915302

著者 徳本栄一郎
1963年、佐賀県生まれ。著書にノンフィクションの「1945日本占領」、「エンペラー・ファイル」、小説に「臨界」などがある。

【開場時間】午後6時(自由席)
【お食事の開始予定時間】午後6時15分頃 【開会】午後7時15分頃【閉会】午後8時半頃【閉場】午後9時
【料金】会員3,000円(税込み、セットディナー、1ドリンク付)/ 一般4,000円(同左)
【メニュー】Chef's Salad/ Today's Fish, Acqua Pazza Style/ Bread/ Dessert/ Coffee or Tea with One Drink.

【予約方法】
会員:お申し込みは今すぐフロントへお電話または、オンラインでお願いいたします。お食事の準備のため、お早目のご予約をお願いいたします。一般:フロント宛てにメールをお送りください(front@fccj.or.jp)。 ご予約及びお支払いは5月9日(火)までにお願いいたします。開催時間72時間前からキャンセル料は全額になります。当協会側の理由によるキャンセルを除き払戻は致しかねます。

このBook Breakは、オンライン視聴のお申し込みは受け付けておりません。

ベジタリアンやアレルギーなどお食事制限のある方は、開催日3日前までにフロント(front@fccj.or.jp)にお知らせください。

新型コロナウイルス対策として、エントランスでの検温にご協力ください。手指の消毒もお願いいたします。
 

(使用言語:日本語、逐次通訳付き、写真・動画撮影、録音はお控えください)          

Library, Archives & Workroom Committee