Born into a samurai family of the Wakayama domain in Kii.
His father lost his position in the domain, and his boyhood was hard.
He studied at Katsu Kaishū's naval school in Kobe, meeting Sakamoto Ryōma; he later joined the Kaientai.
He entered the new Meiji government, working on foreign affairs among other tasks.
Accused of involvement in a plot against the government during the Satsuma Rebellion, he was imprisoned for several years.
After his release he went to Europe to study politics and law.
As minister to the United States he concluded with Mexico Japan's first treaty on equal terms.
He became Foreign Minister in Itō Hirobumi's cabinet.
By a treaty with Britain he succeeded in abolishing consular jurisdiction, which had kept foreigners outside Japanese courts.
After the Sino-Japanese War he concluded the Treaty of Shimonoseki with Itō Hirobumi, but the Triple Intervention led by Russia forced Japan to return the Liaodong Peninsula.
He died of tuberculosis.
Katsu KaishūSakamoto RyōmaItō HirobumiHoshi Tōru
Ōyama IwaoNiijima JōInoue MasaruSaigō TsugumichiInoue KowashiNiijima YaeNakae ChōminMori Arinori
People of the Meiji period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.