Born in Hagi to a Choshu samurai family. Childhood name Juzaburo. After the Restoration he entered the army and grew as a soldier-politician in Yamagata Aritomo's line.
As an army officer he studied in Germany and learned modern military systems. Back home he worked on army modernization and military administration, rising in the Yamagata clique.
He served as army vice-minister and held military-administrative practice. He took part in arms expansion around the Sino-Japanese War and secured standing in both politics and the army.
He became Governor-General of Taiwan and took part in colonial administration. Dual experience as soldier and administrator shaped his later premiership.
He became prime minister and formed the first Katsura cabinet. He concluded the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and prepared for deepening rivalry with Russia.
As prime minister he directed the Russo-Japanese War. Struggling with war costs and opinion at home, he pushed diplomacy toward peace. His reputation as a wartime leader took shape.
He backed Komura Jutaro's peace talks and ended the war with the Treaty of Portsmouth. Lack of indemnity sparked anger at home and the Hibiya riots.
Prime minister again, he advanced continental policy including the 1910 annexation of Korea. As a clique-politics center he also deepened conflict with parties.
He formed a third cabinet but resigned in the face of the constitutional-protection movement. In the Taisho Political Crisis, Katsura's era as a clique politician took a heavy blow.
He died in Tokyo at sixty-six. As a long-serving prime minister he became emblematic of the Russo-Japanese War and Korea annexation era.
Yamagata AritomoKomura JutarōSaionji KinmochiKatō Takaaki
Niijima YaeNakae ChōminMori ArinoriTōgō HeihachirōErwin BälzNogi MaresukeTakaki KanehiroLafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo)
People of the Meiji period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.