= Korekiyo Takahashi = '''Korekiyo Takahashi''' ('''高橋 是清''') was [[Japan/MinistryOfFinance|minister of finance]] and [[Japan/PrimeMinisters|prime minister]] of [[Japan/Hirohito|Imperial Japan]]. <> ---- == History == Takahashi rose to prominence by representing the interests of Imperial Japan with foreign financiers, such as Jacob Schiff, during the '''Russo-Japanese War'''. He was awarded a seat in the '''House of Peers''' in 1905. He served as governor of the Yokohama Specie Bank and the Bank of Japan. Takahashi was appointed [[Japan/MinistryOfFinance|minister of finance]] by prime minister '''Yamamoto''' in 1913. He would continue to serve in this post under prime minister '''Hara'''. After Hara's assassination, he rose to leader of the '''Rikken Seiyuukai''' party and prime minister. His term only lasted 7 months, but he would return to the cabinet as minister of finance under prime ministers '''Tanaka''', '''Inukai''', '''Saitou''', and '''Okada'''. Japan was largely unaffected by the Great Depression. This is largely accredited to Takahashi's plans; he abandoned the gold standard and applied expansionary [[Japan/MonetaryPolicy|monetary]] and fiscal policies. Even after the economy recovered however, he tried to continue budget austerity, contrary to the goals of the military government. Takahashi was assassinated during the '''February 26 Incident''' in 1936. ---- CategoryRicottone