Born into a samurai family of the Saga domain in Hizen.
After leaving the domain school he studied Dutch learning, and later English and Western politics from the missionary Verbeck in Nagasaki.
He joined the new Meiji government and showed his skill in negotiations with foreign powers.
As councillor and Finance Minister he took charge of the nation's finances.
Having called for an early national assembly, he was forced out of the government.
He founded the Rikken Kaishintō party and opened the Tokyo Senmon Gakkō (later Waseda University).
As Foreign Minister working on treaty revision, he had a bomb thrown at him by an opponent and lost his right leg.
With Itagaki Taisuke he formed Japan's first party cabinet and became prime minister.
Prime minister again, he brought Japan into the First World War and the next year presented the Twenty-One Demands to China.
He died in Tokyo; huge crowds of citizens attended his funeral.
Nabeshima Naomasa (Kansō)Komatsu Tatewaki (Kiyokado)Soejima TaneomiMaejima HisokaMatsukata MasayoshiKuroda KiyotakaInoue MasaruHoshi Tōru
Inoue KaoruItagaki TaisukeTani TatekiSanjō SanetomiYamagata AritomoEdward S. MorseGoto ShojiroShibusawa Eiichi
People of the Meiji period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.