Born into a family of senior village heads in Niwase village, Bitchū (Okayama).
He went to Tokyo and studied at Keiō Gijuku.
He covered the Satsuma Rebellion as a newspaper reporter, and his dispatches were acclaimed.
He joined Ōkuma Shigenobu's Rikken Kaishintō.
He won a seat in the first House of Representatives election and served for decades thereafter.
He became Education Minister in Ōkuma Shigenobu's cabinet.
With Ozaki Yukio and others he led the movement to protect constitutional government, earning the title "god of constitutional politics".
He became president of the Rikken Seiyūkai.
He became prime minister.
In the May 15 Incident he was shot by young naval officers who stormed the prime minister's residence, and lost his life; he reportedly said, "If we talk, you will understand."
Saionji KinmochiYamamoto GonbeeTerauchi MasatakeTakahashi KorekiyoHara TakashiOzaki YukioKatō TakaakiKatō Tomosaburō
People of the Taishō period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.