OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19929, 24 April 1928, Page 11

OBITUARY.

BARON K. OKURA. AGED JAPANESE FINANCIER. Australian Press Association—United Service TCKIO, April 22. The death is announced of Baron Kihachiro Okura, aged 91. Deceased was a notable business man and financier. The late Baron Kihachiro Okura was born in a village in Echigo in 1837. He was the son ot a poor fish dealer, and at first worked with his father, When, however, he was 17, he made his way to Tokio. and went into business there. After a few years he began to deal in arms and munitions for which he received orders from the Government. But he had at the same time a number of other interests. He is said to hav« been the first Japanese to start a European tailoring business. In 1872 he made bis first visit to Europe and America. Two years later he opened in London an office for the purchase of goods. Thanks to his army contracts in connection with various Japanese campaigns, notably the war against China in 1894-95 and the Russo-Japanese war of 19134-5, he amassed great wealth. Baron Okura visited Europe, and America again in 1900 and extended his operations to every branch of industry and commerce. He also took a large part in the colonising of Mongolia and Manchuria, where he owned factories., rice fields, iron mines and ironworks. At Tientsin he had a spinning mill. At Mukden he owned the tramways. In Japan he was the proprietor or controller of 34 firms, and in China of 19. He was created a baron in 1915, and received many other distinctions. In 1926 he had a bodyguard to take care of his possessions in Mongolia, and princely retinue. Early in 1927 it was stated that in view of his great age he proposed to retire from business. He presented his famous collection of art objects to the city of Tokio, where he also founded the Okura Business School.