index

Part 2: Modern era

Chapter 2: Past prime ministers 1. Prime ministers from the Meiji to Early-Showa eras

ITO Hirobumi, 1841-1909

Ito was a politician. He served as the 1st, 5th, 7th, and 10th Prime Minister. In 1863, he secretly traveled to Britain for his studies together with Inoue Kaoru and others as one of the so-called Choshu Five. He returned to Japan the following year upon hearing of rising tensions between the Choshu Domain and the Western powers. Having witnessed Britain's national power first-hand, Ito devoted himself to persuading leaders within his domain to adopt a policy of opening of the country. In the Meiji government, he established a cabinet system, and became the first Prime Minister in 1885, and worked for establishing the Constitution of the Empire of Japan and other institutions. Before and after the Sino-Japanese War, he formed a cabinet, a total of four times. He assumed positions including Chairman of the Privy Council, president of the Rikken Seiyukai (the Friends of Constitutional Government Party), and became the first Inspector General of Korea in 1905. He was assassinated in Harbin in 1909 by An Chung-gun who was an activist for the independence of Korea.

74 Ito Hirobumi shokan, July 19, 1860 [Modern Japanese Political History Materials Room Collection: 230-3-3]

Including the letter shown here, a total of 21 letters from Ito to Ishida Taro bound in three scrolls have survived to the present day. Little is known about Ishida, but he is believed to have traveled to Nagasaki before 1859 to study English and Western studies. By 1864, he was active in the Nan'entai, one of the military units in the Choshu Domain. In these letters, Hirobumi reveals his desire to study abroad in Britain, while entrusting Ishida to keep it confidential. He also wrote candidly of his envy toward those going to Hakodate. These details suggest that these two were close friends.

伊藤博文書簡（冒頭）

伊藤博文書簡（末尾）

75 Ito Hirobumi shokan [draft], August 9, 1882 [Ito Hirobumi Papers (No.1), Document: 22]

This is a letter (draft) written by Ito who was in Europe to Iwakura Tomomi, the u daijin (Minister of the Right). As a result of "a Political Change of 1881", the Meiji government decided to shelve the introduction of the English-style parliamentary cabinet system advocated by Okuma Shigenobu, and introduced instead a German-style constitution which preserved the royal prerogative. Ito was sent to Europe from March 1882 to August the following year to study constitutions. He learned from Rudolf von Gneist who was a professor at the University of Berlin as well as Lorenz von Stein who was a professor at the University of Vienna, and started forming the Constitution of the Empire of Japan when he returned to Japan. In the letter, he says he plans to stay in Vienna for a little while longer and listen to Stein's debate, etc.

伊藤博文書簡［草稿］

KURODA Kiyotaka, 1840-1900

Kuroda was a politician and served as the second Prime Minister. He engaged in the conclusion of the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance with Sakamoto Ryoma and others, and served as a staff officer in the Boshin War and attacked Goryokaku. He made Enomoto Takeaki surrender but also worked to spare Enomoto's life. He developed Hokkaido and concluded the Japan-Korea Treaty of Amity in 1876 as a minister extraordinary and plenipotentiary. He became the second Prime Minister in 1888 and worked for issuing the Constitution of the Empire of Japan but failed in negotiation with European countries and the Americas for treaty revision and resigned the following year. He was one of the genro (elder statesman).

76 Kuroda Kiyotaka shokan, August 21, 1881 [Modern Japanese Political History Materials Room Collection: 272-1]

This is a letter about the "Incident Concerning Sale of the Properties Owned by the Hokkaido Development Commission" written by Kuroda, who was a director of the Development Commission and a sangi (councilor), to Saigo Tsugumichi and Kawamura Sumiyoshi who also were sangi. The Hokkaido Development Commissioner was severely criticized by the public for attempting to sell the commission's properties to officials and political merchants on extremely favorable terms. On the other hand, some people in the government were saying that Okuma Shigenobu and Fukuzawa Yukichi aligned with Mitsubishi which had financial interests were against selling them and swinging public opinion. In this letter, Kuroda is warning them not to fall into the trap of Okuma, Mitsubishi and their supporters.

黒田清隆書簡（署名部分）

（二伸）

→See the other autograph material by Kuroda Kiyotaka (Material 189)

YAMAGATA Aritomo, 1838-1922

Yamagata was a politician who served as the 3rd and 9th Prime Minister. He went to Shoka Sonjuku (a private school) and participated in the sonno-joi undo (lit. the movement to revere the emperor and expel the barbarians) with Takasugi Shinsaku and others. After the Meiji Restoration, he visited Europe and studied their military systems, and worked to form the conscription system in Japan. He played an important role in establishing the army. He became the first head of the Military General Staff Office and Minister of Home Affairs. He formed a cabinet twice. He also played a major role in both domestic and foreign affairs as a Marshal and genro (elder statesman).

77 Yamagata Aritomo shokan, February 12, 1921 [Tanaka Giichi Papers: 141]

This is a letter about the so-called "certain serious incident in the Imperial Palace" written by Yamagata to Tanaka Giichi who was from the same town as Yamagata. Kuninomiya Nagako, who was engaged to Prince Hirohito, was found to have possibly inherited color-blindness and Yamagata and others who were afraid to have a color-blind person in the Imperial family tried to break off the engagement. This issue became a serious political problem not only with opposition by Kuninomiya Family, but also with the anti-Yamagata movement by civil right-wing activists. The problem was settled two days before this letter was written by the announcement that there would be no change in the engagement.

山県有朋書簡

MATSUKATA Masayoshi, 1835-1924

Matsukata was a politician. He served as the 4th and 6th Prime Minister. After working as an aide to Shimazu Hisamitsu, he was recognized by Okubo Toshimichi for his ability, and entered into the political arena after being the governor of Hita Prefecture. As an okurakyo (Finance Minister) and a Minister of Finance, he conducted a monetary policy called "Matsukata Financial Policy" and worked on paper money readjustment, tax increase, establishment of the Bank of Japan and the gold standard system. Meanwhile, he formed a cabinet twice. He had power as a genro (elder statesman) after Yamagata Aritomo died.

78 Matsukata Masayoshi shokan, October 28, 1881 [Ito Hirobumi Papers (No.1), Letters: 164-181]

This is a letter written by Matsukata to Ito Hirobumi immediately after Matsukata was appointed as okurakyo (Finance Minister). In the letter, he mentions the letter of Utsumi Tadakatsu he borrowed and apologizes that he did not return it the night before. Also, he said, "You have made a great effort for our country on the Incident on 11th". This is thought to be about "the Political Change of 1881" in which a conference was held on October 11 in the presence of the Emperor who had come back from Tohoku and Hokkaido, and decided on the establishment of a National Diet by 1890, dismissing Okuma Shigenobu and the bureaucrats in his group who were against it.

SAIONJI Kinmochi, 1849-1940

Saionji was a politician. The 12th and 14th Prime Minister. He was born in Tokudaiji Family, and was adopted by Saionji Family to take over the head of the family. He studied in France for ten years. After returning to Japan, he worked as a minister in various countries, vice-president of the House of Peers, Minister of Education, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Finance, etc. He formed a cabinet twice. He and Katsura Taro alternated their Cabinets, and it was called "Kei-en (Katsura/Saionji) era". After the death of Matsukata Masayoshi, Saionji had power as the last genro (elder statesman) in nominating the next prime minister.

79 Saionji Kinmochi shokan, December 30, 1905 [Katsura Taro Papers: 47-1]

This is a letter written by Saionji to Katsura Taro. At the end of the Meiji era, Saionji and Katsura alternated their Cabinets. Saionji was a president of the Rikken Seiyukai (the Friends of Constitutional Government Party) and Katsura had a connection with the Yamagata faction and had power over bureaucrats, the House of Peers and the military. This letter shows the process of personnel coordination. The Katsura Cabinet resigned en masse on December 21, and Saionji, the next Prime Minister, named Matsuoka Yasutake as the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, and Yamagata Aritomo's adopted son, Yamagata Isaburo, as Minister of Communication, asking for Katsura's opinion.

西園寺公望書簡

HARA Takashi, 1856-1921

Hara was a politician. He was the 19th Prime Minister. His father was a feudal retainer of the Nanbu Domain. Hara worked as the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs under Mutsu Munemitsu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. After retiring from office, he joined the Rikken Seiyukai (the Friends of Constitutional Government Party) in 1900, and was elected as a member of the House of Representatives. He had the position of the Minister of Home Affairs under the first and second Saionji Cabinets. In 1918, he became the president of the Rikken Seiyukai, and the first Prime Minister who was an incumbent member of the House of Representatives. He established the first full-scale party cabinet and adopted positive policies such as establishing the transportation system and expanding education, but was assassinated in 1921 in Tokyo Station.

80 Hara Takashi shokan, June 18, 1914 [Inoue Kaoru Papers: 246-4]

This is a letter written by Hara to Inoue Kaoru who was a genro (elder statesman) of the Choshu faction. In the letter, Hara reports that due to Saionji Kinmochi's resignation from president of the Rikken Seiyukai (the Friends of Constitutional Government Party), he was asked to be the next president, and asks Inoue for support. Hara from the Nanbu Domain is said to have had a strong spirit of defiance against the han-dominated government the Satsuma-Choshu clique due to his experience of being considered an enemy of the Imperial Court by them after the Meiji Restoration. On the other hand, he recognized the importance of democratic government by parties, and was considering the necessity of cooperating with powerful domain cliques to strengthen political parties. This letter shows his realistic side as a politician.

原敬書簡

TAKAHASHI Korekiyo, 1854–1936

Takahashi was a bureaucrat, politician, and policymaker in public finance. He joined the Bank of Japan in 1892 and demonstrated exceptional skill in raising foreign bonds to finance the Russo–Japanese War; he later became the bank's governor in 1911. He served as Minister of Finance in the first Yamamoto Cabinet and the Hara Cabinet. In 1921, he became Japan's 20th prime minister. After stepping down, he served as Minister of Finance in several successive cabinets. He had a characteristically expansionary approach to fiscal policy. He later clashed with the military over his approach of reining in military spending when he became finance minister in the Okada Cabinet; he was assassinated in the February 26 Incident of 1936.

81 Takahashi Korekiyo shokan, February 28, 1906 [INOUE Kaoru Papers: 538-2]

A letter addressed to the genro (elder statesman) Inoue Kaoru. Shortly after the outbreak of the Russo–Japanese War, Takahashi (then the deputy governor of the Bank of Japan) was dispatched to New York and London to raise funds through the issuance of foreign bonds. After arduous negotiations with Western bankers, he succeeded in securing these funds, thus contributing greatly to Japan's victory. In this letter, Takahashi pleaded with Inoue to intercede with the government on behalf of those bankers to decorate them with honors as a token of appreciation. Inoue's efforts in this regard aside, 11 bankers in Britain, the United States, and France were decorated on March 27.

高橋是清書簡

INUKAI Tsuyoshi, 1855-1932

Inukai was a politician and served as the 29th Prime Minister. He was engaged in establishing the Rikken Kaishin-to (Constitutional Reform Party) in 1882, and was elected a member of the House of Representatives in 1890. (He was elected for 19 consecutive terms.) He played the central role in the party politics and established the Rikken Kokumin-to (Constitutional National Party) and the Kakushin Club. He supported politicians in exile such as Sun Yat-sen. In 1931, he formed the last party cabinet before the war, but was assassinated the following year (May 15 Incident). He was also famous as a calligrapher.

82 Inukai Tsuyoshi shokan, July 6, [ca. 1925-1931] [Makino Nobuaki Papers, Letters: 124-1]

This is a letter written by Inukai to Makino Nobuaki who was the second son of Okubo Toshimichi and was the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal. It was written when Inukai was in his 70s'. It introduces Harada Shozaemon who established Hakubundo in 1869. He supported Inukai Tsuyoshi and Ozaki Yukio and others who were working for realization of Constitutionalism and establishment of the National Diet through publishing materials from Hakubundo and by providing financial support.

犬養毅書簡　裏

犬養毅書簡　表

KONOE Fumimaro, 1891-1945

Konoe was a politician and served as the 34th, 38th and 39th Prime Minister. He was the 30th head of the Konoe Family, an important court noble (kazoku). After being President of the House of Peers, etc., he became Prime Minister in 1937 at the age of 47. He formed the cabinet two other times. He strengthened the war regime by establishing the National General Mobilization Act, concluding the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy and establishing the Taisei Yokusankai (the Imperial Rule Assistance Association). After losing the war, he was designated as a war criminal, and committed suicide by taking poison.

83 Konoe Fumimaro shokan, July 10, 1927 [Makino Nobuaki Papers, Letters: 224-1]

This is a letter written by Konoe to Makino Nobuaki who was the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal. In the letter, Konoe says, "I left yesterday morning and went to Okitsu to see Saiko on the issue you talked about the day before yesterday". It does not mention the details, but "Saiko" means Saionji Kinmochi (Duke). Saionji was in the position to provide advice to the Emperor on major policy decisions and electing a prime minister, and to provide acknowledgement to the government.

近衛文麿書簡

Trivia

The days when letters were delivered by messengers rather than postman

Most of the letters displayed in this digital exhibition were delivered long before the introduction of the postal system.
Many of these letters were delivered by messengers, who travelled long distances on foot to accomplish their errands. Sometimes a letter would contain a description of the messenger, as in the Material 21 Ryutei Tanehiko. Often, a reply would be written immediately and given to the messenger to deliver, as in the Material 17 Hirata Atsutane.
This practice continued even after the postal system was officially established in 1871. In some cases, this was because a letter was considered an informal courtesy visit made on behalf of the sender. Another reason was to ensure confidentiality by sending information with a trusted messenger.