ITO Hirobumi

Date of Birth and Death
Octover 16, 1841 - Octover 26, 1909
Birthplace (modern name)
Yamaguchi
Occupation, Status
Politician , Prime Minister
Pen name etc.
Shunpo

Description

Statesman, who became genro (elder statesman). Born in Yamaguchi. His father, Juzo Hayashi, was adopted by a lower class samurai of the Hagi Clan, after which he assumed the family name Ito. He took Shoin Yoshida as his teacher and studied at his Shoka Sonjuku. Later, he offered his services to the sonno joi undo (movement to revere the emperor and expel the barbarians) together with Takayoshi Kido, Shinsaku Takasugi, etc. In 1871, he joined Iwakura Mission as vice-envoy extraordinary, during which he won the confidence of Toshimichi Okubo. After Okubo died, he took over the post of naimukyo(Home Minister) and secured the central position in the government. In 1882, he went over to Europe to study the constitutions of those countries. In 1885, he established the cabinet system of government and became the first Prime Minister of Japan. In addition, he led the enactment of the Constitution of the Empire of Japan. He successively held important posts as chairman of the Privy Council, president of the House of Peers, Prime Minister (four times) and the first resident general of Korea. In 1909, he was assassinated by a Korean independence movement activist, An Chung-gun, at Harbin Station.

Publications

National Diet Library's collections

SNS

ITO Hirobumi

  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi1
  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi2
  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi3
  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi4
  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi5
  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi6
  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi7
  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi8
  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi9
  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi10
  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi11
  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi12
  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi13
  • Portrait of ITO Hirobumi14