Onogi Hidejiro (大野木秀次郎)

Hidejiro ONOGI (Nov 25, 1895 – March 3, 1966) was a politician. Born in Yamashina (present day Yamashina Ward), Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture. Dropped out of Ritsumeikan University (Department of Economics).

In 1946 was elected a Councilor of Japan's House of Lords (large taxpayer Councilor). In the following year (1947), running as a Liberal Party candidate, he was elected in the first regular Upper House election. He served 4 terms. Whilst sitting as a Councilor, he served as a Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary at the time of the San Francisco Peace Treaty, as Chairperson of the Liberal Party Councilors in the Upper House, and the first Chairperson of the Liberal Party Kyoto Member Union (4 consecutive terms), and in other posts; in addition, he attended to important matters of state as Minister of State and other posts in the 3rd through to 5th Yoshida Cabinets.

Besides serving the business world in roles such as Chairperson of the Kyoto Commerce and Industry Club, he played an active role in religious matters as a representative of Kurama-dera Temple, Chion-in Temple, Sennyu-ji Temple, and Myoshin-ji Temple. He also played an active role in a wide range of education circles by serving as a board member of Kyoto Pharmaceutical University and his alma mater, Ritsumeikan University, and elsewhere, and by sitting as President of Kyoto University of Foreign Studies.

Furthermore, the home that Onogi built in 1936 in Yamashina Ward, Kyoto Prefecture is currently used as the 'Kyoto Rakutogeihinkan' (Kyoto Rakuto Guest House).

[Original Japanese]