Ito Hirobumi ~ Leader in new Japan ~

When Perry who was an American soldier come Japan in 1854, it was the turning point in Japanese history. Japan has been an isolated country since Tokugawa Iemitsu who was the 3rd shogun of the Edo shogunate stopped trading with other countries. When Perry urged Japan to open trade with the U.S, Japan could decide whether Japan should open trade with other countries or not. Japan was divided into two big groups. One insisted that Japan should open trade with other countries, while the other insisted the opposite. So both groups fought each other. As a result, Japan opened trade with other countries. Japan changed. The leader of new Japan was Ito Hirobumi.



an image of Ito Hirobumi

 Contribution

  Ito Hirobumi (A.D. 1841 - 1909) was a one of Japanese statesmen and the first prime minister of Japan. He flourished in the Meiji Period (1868 - 1912). When he was young, he took part in overthrowing the Tokugawa shogunate. After that, he took some important posts of new government as a politician. In 1885, he assumed the first prime minister of Japan. He has assumed it four times (1885 - 1888, 1892 - 1896, 1898 and 1900 - 1901).
  Ito Hirobumi contributed to two big things. One was that he established the Japanese constitutional monarchy and made a constitution called Meiji Constitution. This constitution promulgated by Emperor Meiji in 1889. Other was that he formed a new political party called Rikken Seiyukai and this became one of the main political parties in Japan. Ito Hirobumi was regarded as a good statesman by many people.

Secrets


Meiji Constitution promulgation in 1889

 ・Ito Hirobumi spoke English fluently
  Ito Hirobumi assumed the prime minister in spite of lower rank, for he could speak English fluently. So he often negotiated with other countries as the representative.



1,000 yen bill of Japan



・Ito Hirobumi liked women

   That Ito Hirobumi liked women very much was known to many people at that time.  

It was said that when he suffered from the high fever, there were two women (geisha girl) on both sides of him.