Editing Fumimaro Konoe (section)

==Early life==
Fumimaro Konoe (often ''Konoye''),<ref name="rafu">{{cite news |date=2 June 1937 |title=Konoe or Konoye? |page=6 |work=[[Rafu Shimpo]] |quote=Is It Konoe or Konoye? The name of the new Premier of Japan, pronounced with the stress on the second syllable and a definite sounding of the letter 'e' as in 'let', is spelled in English as Konoe, according to the officially recognized Japan Yearbook. The full name is Prince Ayamaro {{sic}} Konoe. Reference to the Premier as Prince Fumimaro Konoye is not incorrect, however.}}</ref><ref>Although – in accordance with the system adopted by the Japanese imperial government from the Meiji period through the end of WWII – the official English translation of Konoe's title was "prince", the title of ''kōshaku'' ({{Interlanguage link multi|公爵|ja}}) was actually a closer equivalent to "[[duke]]".</ref> was born in Tokyo on 12 October 1891 to the prominent [[Konoe family]], one of the main branches of the ancient [[Fujiwara clan]]. This made the Konoe "head of the most prestigious, and highest ranking noble house in the realm."{{Sfn|Berger|1974|p=453}} They had first become independent of the Fujiwara in the 12th century, when [[Minamoto no Yoritomo]] divided the Fujiwara into the [[Five regent houses|Five Regent Houses]] (''go-sekke''). Japanese historian Eri Hotta described the Konoe as "''First among the go-sekke''"; Fumimaro would be its 29th leader.{{Sfn|Berger|1974|p=453}} While the average height of Japanese people at that time was around 160&nbsp;cm (5&nbsp;ft 3 in), Konoe was over 180&nbsp;cm (5&nbsp;ft 11 in) tall.<ref>{{cite book|author=堺屋太一|title=日本を創った12人|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OcD8DwAAQBAJ&q=%E8%BF%91%E8%A1%9B%E6%96%87%E9%BA%BF+%E8%BA%AB%E9%95%B7 |year=2006}}</ref>

Konoe's father, [[Konoe Atsumaro|Atsumaro]], had been politically active, having organized the Anti-Russia Society in 1903. Fumimaro's mother died shortly after his birth; his father then married her younger sister. Fumimaro was misled into thinking she was his real mother, and found out the truth when he was 12 years old after his father's death.{{Sfn|Berger|1974|p=455}}

Upon his father's death in 1912, Fumimaro not only inherited his father's aristocratic title of ''koshaku'' (duke or prince) but also his debt. Thanks to the financial support of the [[zaibatsu]] [[Sumitomo Group|Sumitomo]], which he received throughout his career, and the auction of Fujiwara heirlooms, the family was able to become solvent. Fumimaro's younger brother, [[Hidemaro Konoye]], later became a symphony conductor{{Sfn|Berger|1974|pp=455-456}} and founded [[NHK Symphony Orchestra]].<ref>樂評人 David Hall 在他的權威著作 "The record book : a music lover's guide to the world of the phonograph" ( 1943年版), 曾經對近衛秀磨這一款錄音有以下之評語:</ref>

After graduating from [[Taimei Elementary School]], he went on to study at [[Gakushūin|Gakushuin]], which was an institution to educate the children of the children of [[Kazoku|Japan's nobility]].<ref name="nussbaum230">{{cite encyclopedia |year=2002 |entry=Gakushū-in |encyclopedia=Japan Encyclopedia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&pg=PA230 |last=Nussbaum |first=Louis-Frédéric |author-link=Louis-Frédéric |page=230 |isbn=9780674017535}}</ref> He was inspired by [[Nitobe Inazō|Inazo Nitobe]], the dean of the [[First Higher School]]. Uncharacteristically for someone from a high-ranking aristocratic background, he chose to study at the First Higher School for university preparatory education, instead of staying at Gakushuin. Upon graduating in 1912, he proceeded to study philosophy at [[University of Tokyo|Tokyo Imperial University]], where he again studied together with his former peers from Gakushuin.<ref>『第一高等学校一覧 自大正元年至大正2年』第一高等学校、1912年、303頁。</ref> Konoe subsequently transferred to the law department of [[Kyoto University|Kyoto Imperial University]]. One of his professors was the Marxist economist [[Hajime Kawakami]].{{sfn|Oka|1983|pp=8-9}}<ref>{{cite web |title=KONOE Fumimaro |url=https://www.ndl.go.jp/portrait/e/datas/81/ |website=[[National Diet Library]] |access-date=2025-01-17}}</ref> Under Kawakami's influence, Konoe became interested in socialism as a student and wrote a Japanese translation [[Oscar Wilde]]'s "[[The Soul of Man Under Socialism]]."{{sfn|Oka|1983|pp=8-9}}

While in Kyoto, Konoe met the [[genrō]] [[Saionji Kinmochi]] and became his protégé.{{sfn|Oka|1983|pp=8-9}} After graduation, Fumimaro turned to Saionji for advice about starting a political career, and worked briefly in the [[Home Ministry|home ministry]] before accompanying his mentor to Versailles as part of the Japanese peace delegation.{{Sfn|Berger|1974|pp=456-457}}

In December 1918, Konoe also published an essay entitled {{Nihongo|"Reject the [[United Kingdom–United States relations|Anglo-American]]-Centered [[Pacifism]]"|英米本位の平和主義を排す|eibei-hon'i no heiwashugi o haisu}}. In this article, he argued that western democracies were supporting [[democracy]], peace, and [[self-determination]] only [[Hypocrisy|hypocritically]], while actually undermining those ideals through [[Colonialism|racially discriminatory imperialism]].{{Sfn|Hotta|2013|p=35}} He attacked the [[League of Nations]] as an effort to institutionalize the status quo: colonial hegemony by the [[Western Powers|western powers]].{{Sfn|Berger|1974|p=457}} Following a translation by American journalist [[Thomas Franklin Fairfax Millard]], Saionji wrote a rebuttal in his journal, ''[[Millard's Review of the Far East]]''.<ref>Kazuo Yagami, ''Konoe Fumimaro and the Failure of Peace in Japan, 1937–1941: A Critical Appraisal of the Three-time Prime Minister'' (McFarland, 2006): p. 19.</ref> Saionji considered Konoe's writing reckless, but, after it became internationally read, Konoe was invited to dinner by [[Sun Yat-sen]]. Sun admired Japan's [[Japanese modernization (1868-1930)|quick modernization]]; at the dinner, they discussed pan-Asian nationalism.{{Sfn|Hotta|2013|pp=36, 42}}

During the [[Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920)|Paris Peace Conference]], Konoe was one of the Japanese diplomats who proposed the [[Racial Equality Proposal]] for the Covenant of the League of Nations. When the Racial Equality Clause came up before the committee, it received the support of Japan, [[France]], [[Serbia]], [[Kingdom of Greece|Greece]], [[Kingdom of Italy|Italy]], [[Brazil]], [[Czechoslovakia]], and [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|China]]. However, [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Woodrow Wilson]] overturned the vote, declaring that the clause needed unanimous support. Konoe regarded the rejection of the Racial Equality Clause as a significant setback and a reflection of discriminatory attitudes toward Japan.<ref>Macmillan, Margaret ''Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World'', New York: Random House, 2007, p. 317</ref>

Upon his return to Japan he published a booklet where he described his travels to France, Britain and the U.S. Konoe noted how he was angered by rising [[anti-Japanese sentiment in the United States]] and how the US government [[Immigration Act of 1924|discriminated against Japanese immigrants]]. He also described China as a rival to Japan in international relations.{{Sfn|Hotta|2013|pp=36-37}}