was a Japanese statesman in the Meiji and Taishō periods.
Biography Shōda was born in Matsuyama Domain, Iyo Province on October 19, 1869, as the 5th son of a poor samurai. The poet Masaoka Shiki and admiral Akiyama Saneyuki were his friends from childhood. He graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1895, and obtained a position at the Ministry of Finance.Metzler, Lever of Empire. Page 89 In 1915, he rose to the position of president of the Bank of Chōsen.Metzler, Lever of Empire. Page 94 He was appointed Finance Minister under the TerauchiBeasley, Japanese Imperialism 1894–1945. page 117 and Kiyoura Cabinets,Metzler, Lever of Empire. Page 147 and Education Minister under the Tanaka Giichi Cabinet. In 1938, he was considered for the post of Home Minister under the Second Konoe Cabinet, a somewhat surprising choice, given his age and lack of experience in the Home Ministry, and the nomination was rejected by Emperor Hirohito.
He died on October 10, 1948.
References
Beasley. W.G. Japanese Imperialism 1894-1945. Oxford University Press (1991) Metzler, Mark. Lever of Empire: The International Gold Standard and the Crisis of Liberalism in Prewar Japan. University of California Press (2006).