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Sen KatayamaJapanese communist, Comintern activist.
Date of Birth: 26.12.1859
Country:  Japan |
Content:
- Early Life
- Education and Socialist Awakening
- Return to Japan and Socialist Activism
- International Socialist Involvement
- Involvement in the Comintern
- Death and Legacy
Early Life
Senzō Katayama, a Japanese communist and Comintern activist, was born Kunizo Yabu in a peasant family in 1859. After his father abandoned the family, he was adopted by the Katayama family at age 19, taking the name Sen to avoid conscription.
Education and Socialist Awakening
In 1876, Katayama moved to Tokyo to work as a typesetter. He befriended Seikichi Iwasaki, an heir to the Mitsubishi family. Inspired by Iwasaki's plans to study in the United States, Katayama embarked on his own educational journey. He immigrated to the US in 1884, graduating from Grinnell College in 1892. During his time in the US, Katayama converted to Christianity and pursued further education at Andover Theological School and Yale University. It was during this period that he embraced socialism.
Return to Japan and Socialist Activism
Katayama returned to Japan in 1896, becoming an ardent organizer of the labor and socialist movements. He co-founded several organizations promoting unionization and社会主义, including the Society for the Promotion of Trade Unions and the Metalworkers' Union, the first Japanese trade union. In 1901, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Japanese Social Democratic Party, which was later dissolved by the government.
International Socialist Involvement
Katayama represented Japan as a member of the Socialist International's Executive Committee. At the Socialist International's Amsterdam Congress in 1904, he made a powerful statement of solidarity with Russian socialist Georgy Plekhanov, symbolizing the fraternity between the working classes of Japan and Russia.
Involvement in the Comintern
In 1918, Katayama left the United States for Soviet Russia, where he joined the Comintern. He became a member of the Comintern's Executive Committee and Presidium, and participated in various anti-imperialist and anti-war congresses.
Death and Legacy
Senzō Katayama died in 1933, and his ashes were interred in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis. He left behind a legacy as a prominent Japanese communist and an advocate for international socialist unity. His name continues to be associated with a neighborhood in Grozny, Russia, commemorating his impact on the international labor movement.
