Wakatsuki, Reijiro (rā'jērō wäkätsOO'kē) [key], 1866–1949, Japanese statesman. He served (1906, 1908–11) as vice minister of finance, was elected to parliament in 1911, and was minister of finance from 1912 to 1915. He helped draft (1925) the Universal Manhood Suffrage Law and the Peace Preservation Law. He was leader of the Kenseikai party in 1925 and headed the Minseito party from 1927 to 1934. He was briefly (1926–27, 1931) prime minister. In 1930 he was chief delegate to the London Naval Conference. From 1933 to 1936 he spoke out strongly against Japanese militarism.
