Kita Ikki

Kita Ikki (北 一輝 Kita Ikki, April 3,1883 - August 19,1937) was a Japanese author and intellectual who was executed for his alleged role in the February 26 Incident. Kita was an early critic of Japanese democracy, which he claimed had been corrupted by western values.

Historians argue about what Kita's political stance was; taken at face value, he appears to be a fascist, his writings being a major influence on the Young Officers' failed fascist coup (the "February Incident"). However, when one digs deeper, it can seem that Kita was a marxist, writing such books as The Theory of Japan's National Polity and Pure Socialism (国�"論及び�"正社会主義 Kokutairon oyobi Junsei Syakaisyugi) and wrote An Outline Plan for the Reorganization of Japan (日本�"�造法案大綱 Nihon Kaizo Hoan Taiko). In the preface to the plan, which called for overseas expansion after reforming the nation via a coup d'etat to be carried out under the emperor's authority, Kita wrote: :"Japan's population has doubled in 50 years, and if expansion continues at this pace we will have to feed at least 250 million people a century from now on, which means that we will be forced to acquire more territory."

It appears that concern about population growth was one of the concepts upon which Kita based his ideas for a national overhaul.

Many argue, however, that the "socialism" advocated by Kita was nothing more than a sort of proto-fascist social darwinism. Kita's interesting blend of fascism and marxism led him to divide the nations of the world into two groups: those that "have" and those that "have not".

Kita's aggressive anti-western attitudes are believed to be one of the inspirations for the Imperial Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II.

See also

*Sadao Araki
*Seigo Nakano
*Shōwa Restoration
*Japanese nationalism
*Japanese literature