Ito Hirobumi
Encyclopedia
Prince
was a samurai
of Chōshū domain, Japan
ese statesman
, four time Prime Minister of Japan
(the 1st, 5th, 7th and 10th), genrō
and Resident-General of Korea
. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun
, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire. The politician, intellectual, and author Suematsu Kenchō
was Itō’s son-in-law, having married his second daughter, Ikuko.
from Hagi
, Chōshū
domain (present-day Yamaguchi prefecture
). Mizui Buhei was renamed to Itō Naoemon. Mizui Juzo took the name Itō Juzo, and Hayashi Risuke was renamed to Itō Shunsuke at first, then Itō Hirobumi. He was a student of Yoshida Shōin
at the Shōka Sonjuku and later joined the Sonnō jōi
movement (“to revere the Emperor and expel the barbarians”), together with Kido Takayoshi
. Itō was chosen to be one of the Chōshū Five
who studied at University College London
in 1863, and the experience in Great Britain
convinced him of the necessity of Japan adopting Western ways.
In 1864, Itō returned to Japan with fellow student Inoue Kaoru
to attempt to warn the Chōshū clan against going to war with the foreign powers (the Bombardment of Shimonoseki
) over the right of passage through the Straits of Shimonoseki. At that time, he met Ernest Satow for the first time, later a lifelong friend.
, Itō was appointed governor of Hyōgo Prefecture
, junior councilor for Foreign Affairs, and sent to the United States
in 1870 to study Western currency systems. Returning to Japan in 1871, he established Japan's taxation system. Later that year, he was sent on the Iwakura Mission
around the world as vice-envoy extraordinary, during which he won the confidence of Ōkubo Toshimichi
one of the three great nobles who led the Meiji Restoration.
In 1873, Itō was made a full councilor, Minister of Public Works, and in 1875 chairman of the first Assembly of Prefectural Governors. He participated in the Osaka Conference of 1875
. After Ōkubo's assassination, he took over the post of Home Minister
and secured a central position in the Meiji government. In 1881 he urged Ōkuma Shigenobu
to resign, leaving himself in unchallenged control.
Itō went to Europe
in 1882 to study the constitutions of those countries, spending nearly 18 months away from Japan. While working on a constitution for Japan, he also wrote the first Imperial Household Law
and established the Japanese peerage
system (kazoku
) in 1884.
In 1885, he negotiated the Convention of Tientsin
with Li Hongzhang
, normalizing Japan's diplomatic relations with Qing Dynasty
China
.
.
On April 30, 1888, Itō resigned as prime minister, but headed the new Privy Council
to maintain power behind-the-scenes. In 1889, he also became the first genro
. The Meiji Constitution
was promulgated in February 1889. He had added to it the references to the kokutai
or "national polity" as the justification of the emperor's authority through his divine descent and the unbroken line of emperors, and the unique relationship between subject and sovereign. This stemmed from his rejection of some European notions as unfit for Japan, as they stemmed from European constitutional practice and Christianity.
He remained a powerful force while Kuroda Kiyotaka
and Yamagata Aritomo
, his political nemeses, were prime ministers.
During Itō’s second term as prime minister (August 8, 1892 – August 31, 1896), he supported the First Sino-Japanese War
and negotiated the Treaty of Shimonoseki
in March 1895 with his ailing foreign minister Mutsu Munemitsu
. In the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation
of 1894, he succeeded in removing some of the onerous unequal treaty clauses that had plagued Japanese foreign relations since the start of the Meiji period.
During Itō’s third term as prime minister (January 12 – June 30, 1898), he encountered problems with party politics
. Both the Jiyūtō and the Shimpotō
opposed his proposed new land taxes, and in retaliation, Itō dissolved the Diet
and called for new elections. As a result, both parties merged into the Kenseitō
, won a majority of the seats, and forced Itō to resign. This lesson taught Itō the need for a pro-government political party
, so he organized the Rikken Seiyūkai
in 1900. Itō's womanizing was a popular theme in editorial cartoons and in parodies by contemporary comedians, and was used by his political enemies in their campaign against him.
Itō returned to office as prime minister for a fourth term from October 19, 1900, to May 10, 1901, this time facing political opposition from the House of Peers. Weary of political back-stabbing, he resigned in 1901, but remained as head of the Privy Council as the premiership alternated between Saionji Kimmochi and Katsura Tarō
. Itō received an honorary doctorate from Yale University
around this time.
It was during his terms as Prime Minister that he invited Professor George Trumbull Ladd
of Yale University
to serve as a diplomatic adviser to promote mutual understanding between Japan and the United States
. It was because of his series of lectures he delivered in Japan revolutionizing its educational methods, that he was the first foreigner to receive the Second Class honor (conferred by the Meiji Emperor in 1907) and the Third Class honor (conferred by The Meiji Emperor in 1899), Orders of the Rising Sun. He later wrote an interesting book on his personal experiences in Korea and with Resident-General Ito. Following his assassination, half of Hirobumi's ashes were buried in a Tokyo Temple and a monument was erected to him.
, the Korean government signed the Eulsa Treaty
, making Korea a Japanese protectorate
. After the Eulsa Treaty had been signed, Itō became the first Resident-General of Korea
on December 21, 1905. He urged Emperor Gojong to abdicate in 1907 in favor of his son Emperor Sunjong and pushed through the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty of 1907
, giving Japan control over Korean internal affairs. However, Ito's position was nuanced. He was firmly against Korea falling into the hand of China and Russia, which would cause a grave threat to Japan's national security. However, he was actually against the annexation, instead advocating that Korea remain a protectorate. When the cabinet eventually voted to annex Korea, he insisted and obtained a delay, hoping that the decision of annexation could be reversed in the future. His political nemesis, the politically influential Imperial Japanese Army, led by Yamagata Aritomo
, whose main faction was advocating annexation forced Itō to resign on June 14, 1909. His assassination is believed to have accelerated the path to the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty
.
Itō proclaimed that if East Asia would not co-operate together like brothers, all would be absorbed into Western countries. Gojong and the Joseon government believing in these claims, agreed to help the Japanese military. However, the opinion of Joseon soon turned against Japan as many Japanese actions were considered to be too brutal and barbaric including confiscation of lands and drafting civilians for forced labor, even executing those that resisted. Ironically his killer An Jung-geun strongly believed in a union of the three great countries in East Asia, China, Korea, and Japan in order to counter and fight off the "White Peril", being the European countries engaged in colonialism, restoring peace to East Asia.
Using considerable political and foreign policy skills, and aided by strong Japanese military, Ito laid the foundation for Japan's colonization of Korea and expansion into Manchuria, China and Russia.
on October 26, 1909 for a meeting with Vladimir Kokovtsov
, a Russian representative in Manchuria
. When he arrived and proceeded to meet his Russian colleague, An Jung-geun
, a Korean nationalist
and independence activist
, fired six shots at him. Three of those shots hit Itō in the chest and he died shortly thereafter.
.
The publishing company Hakubunkan
was named after Itō, based on an alternate pronunciation of his given name
.
, Gojong said on October 28, 1909 that Itō Hirobumi made great efforts to develop civilization. However, it should be noted that Gojong sillok and Sujong sillok are regarded as "unreliable documents" by National Institute of Korean History
, given that the two sillok are not designated as National Treasures of South Korea
and UNESCO
's World Heritage unlike other sillok due to Japanese influence exerted on them. They consider these last two documents are regarded as a falsification of history.
The 1979 North Korean film, An Jung-gun Shoots Ito Hirobumi, is an account of Hirobumi's assassination from the North Korean perspective.
1973 South Korean film Femme Fatale:Bae Jeong-ja
is life of Ito's apdoted daughter Bae Jung-ja (1850-1950)
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Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
was a samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
of Chōshū domain, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
, four time Prime Minister of Japan
Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
(the 1st, 5th, 7th and 10th), genrō
Genro
was an unofficial designation given to certain retired elder Japanese statesmen, considered the "founding fathers" of modern Japan, who served as informal extraconstitutional advisors to the emperor, during the Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa periods in Japanese history.The institution of genrō...
and Resident-General of Korea
Resident-General of Korea
When Korea was a protectorate of Japan, Japan was represented by the Resident-General.- List of Japanese Residents-General :#Itō Hirobumi#Sone Arasuke#Terauchi Masatake...
. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun
An Jung-geun
An Jung-geun or Ahn Jung-geun was a Korean independence activist, nationalist, and pan-Asianist....
, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire. The politician, intellectual, and author Suematsu Kenchō
Suematsu Kencho
Viscount was a Japanese politician, intellectual and author, who lived in the Meiji and Taishō periods. Apart from his activity in the Japanese government, he also wrote several important works on Japan in English...
was Itō’s son-in-law, having married his second daughter, Ikuko.
Early years
Itō was born as the son of Hayashi Juzo. He was originally named Hayashi Risuke. His father Hayashi Juzo was the adopted son of Mizui Buhei who was an adopted son of Itō Yaemon's family, a lower class samuraiSamurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
from Hagi
Hagi, Yamaguchi
is a city located in Yamaguchi, Japan and was incorporated as a city on July 1, 1932. Formerly part of Abu District.On March 6, 2005, the former city of Hagi merged with the towns of Susa and Tamagawa, and the villages of Asahi, Fukue, Kawakami and Mutsumi to form the new city of Hagi.Iwami Airport...
, Chōshū
Nagato Province
, often called , was a province of Japan. It was at the extreme western end of Honshū, in the area that is today Yamaguchi Prefecture. Nagato bordered on Iwami and Suō Provinces....
domain (present-day Yamaguchi prefecture
Yamaguchi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture. The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.- History :...
). Mizui Buhei was renamed to Itō Naoemon. Mizui Juzo took the name Itō Juzo, and Hayashi Risuke was renamed to Itō Shunsuke at first, then Itō Hirobumi. He was a student of Yoshida Shōin
Yoshida Shoin
Yoshida Shōin was one of the most distinguished intellectuals in the closing days of the Tokugawa shogunate...
at the Shōka Sonjuku and later joined the Sonnō jōi
Sonno joi
is a Japanese political philosophy and a social movement derived from Neo-Confucianism; it became a political slogan in the 1850s and 1860s in the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa bakufu, during the Bakumatsu period.-Origin:...
movement (“to revere the Emperor and expel the barbarians”), together with Kido Takayoshi
Kido Takayoshi
, also referred as Kido Kōin was a Japanese statesman during the Late Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji Restoration. He used the alias when he worked against the Shogun.-Early life:...
. Itō was chosen to be one of the Chōshū Five
Choshu Five
The were members of the Chōshū han of western Japan who studied in England from 1863 at University College London under the guidance of Professor Alexander William Williamson. It was still illegal to leave Japan when they left, as sakoku was still practically in force until the Meiji...
who studied at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
in 1863, and the experience in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
convinced him of the necessity of Japan adopting Western ways.
In 1864, Itō returned to Japan with fellow student Inoue Kaoru
Inoue Kaoru
Count , GCMG was a member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period Empire of Japan. As one of the senior statesman in Japan during that period, he had a tremendous influence on the selection of the nation's leaders and formation of its policies.-Early years:...
to attempt to warn the Chōshū clan against going to war with the foreign powers (the Bombardment of Shimonoseki
Bombardment of Shimonoseki
The Battles for Shimonoseki refers to a series of military engagements in 1863 and 1864, fought to control Shimonoseki Straits by joint naval forces from the Great Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States, against the Japanese feudal domain of Chōshū, which took place off and on the...
) over the right of passage through the Straits of Shimonoseki. At that time, he met Ernest Satow for the first time, later a lifelong friend.
Political career
After the Meiji RestorationMeiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, Itō was appointed governor of Hyōgo Prefecture
Hyogo Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
, junior councilor for Foreign Affairs, and sent to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1870 to study Western currency systems. Returning to Japan in 1871, he established Japan's taxation system. Later that year, he was sent on the Iwakura Mission
Iwakura mission
The Iwakura Mission or Iwakura Embassy was a Japanese diplomatic journey around the world, initiated in 1871 by the oligarchs of the Meiji period. Although it was not the only such "mission", it is the most well-known and possibly most important for the modernization of Japan after a long period...
around the world as vice-envoy extraordinary, during which he won the confidence of Ōkubo Toshimichi
Okubo Toshimichi
, was a Japanese statesman, a samurai of Satsuma, and one of the three great nobles who led the Meiji Restoration. He is regarded as one of the main founders of modern Japan.-Early life:...
one of the three great nobles who led the Meiji Restoration.
In 1873, Itō was made a full councilor, Minister of Public Works, and in 1875 chairman of the first Assembly of Prefectural Governors. He participated in the Osaka Conference of 1875
Osaka Conference of 1875
The was a meeting held by the major leaders of the Meiji Restoration in Osaka, Japan from January-February 1873 to address the issue of forming a representative assembly....
. After Ōkubo's assassination, he took over the post of Home Minister
Home Ministry (Japan)
The ' was a Cabinet-level ministry established under the Meiji Constitution that managed the internal affairs of Empire of Japan from 1873-1947...
and secured a central position in the Meiji government. In 1881 he urged Ōkuma Shigenobu
Okuma Shigenobu
Marquis ; was a statesman in the Empire of Japan and the 8th and 17th Prime Minister of Japan...
to resign, leaving himself in unchallenged control.
Itō went to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1882 to study the constitutions of those countries, spending nearly 18 months away from Japan. While working on a constitution for Japan, he also wrote the first Imperial Household Law
Imperial Household Law
is a statute in Japanese law that governs the line of imperial succession, the membership of the imperial family, and several other matters pertaining to the administration of the Imperial Household.-Passage of the Law:...
and established the Japanese peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
system (kazoku
Kazoku
The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan that existed between 1869 and 1947.-Origins:Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the ancient court nobility of Kyoto regained some of its lost status...
) in 1884.
In 1885, he negotiated the Convention of Tientsin
Convention of Tientsin
The was an agreement signed between the Meiji period Empire of Japan and Qing Dynasty Empire of China in Tientsin, China on 18 April 1885. It was also called the "Li-Itō Convention"....
with Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang or Li Hung-chang , Marquis Suyi of the First Class , GCVO, was a leading statesman of the late Qing Empire...
, normalizing Japan's diplomatic relations with Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
As Prime Minister
In 1885, based on European ideas, Itō established a cabinet system of government, replacing the Daijō-kan as the decision-making state organization, and on December 22, 1885, he became the first prime minister of JapanPrime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
.
On April 30, 1888, Itō resigned as prime minister, but headed the new Privy Council
Privy Council (Japan)
was an advisory council to the Emperor of Japan that operated from 1888 to 1947.-Functions:Modeled in part upon the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, this body advised the throne on matters of grave importance including:...
to maintain power behind-the-scenes. In 1889, he also became the first genro
Genro
was an unofficial designation given to certain retired elder Japanese statesmen, considered the "founding fathers" of modern Japan, who served as informal extraconstitutional advisors to the emperor, during the Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa periods in Japanese history.The institution of genrō...
. The Meiji Constitution
Meiji Constitution
The ', known informally as the ', was the organic law of the Japanese empire, in force from November 29, 1890 until May 2, 1947.-Outline:...
was promulgated in February 1889. He had added to it the references to the kokutai
Kokutai
Kokutai is a politically loaded word in the Japanese language, translatable as "sovereign", "national identity; national essence; national character" or "national polity; body politic; national entity; basis for the Emperor's sovereignty; Japanese constitution". "Sovereign" is perhaps the most...
or "national polity" as the justification of the emperor's authority through his divine descent and the unbroken line of emperors, and the unique relationship between subject and sovereign. This stemmed from his rejection of some European notions as unfit for Japan, as they stemmed from European constitutional practice and Christianity.
He remained a powerful force while Kuroda Kiyotaka
Kuroda Kiyotaka
, also known as , was a Japanese politician of the Meiji era. He was the second Prime Minister of Japan from 30 April 1888 to 25 October 1889.-As a Satsuma samurai:...
and Yamagata Aritomo
Yamagata Aritomo
Field Marshal Prince , also known as Yamagata Kyōsuke, was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and twice Prime Minister of Japan. He is considered one of the architects of the military and political foundations of early modern Japan. Yamagata Aritomo can be seen as the father of Japanese...
, his political nemeses, were prime ministers.
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
and negotiated the Treaty of Shimonoseki
Treaty of Shimonoseki
The Treaty of Shimonoseki , known as the Treaty of Maguan in China, was signed at the Shunpanrō hall on April 17, 1895, between the Empire of Japan and Qing Empire of China, ending the First Sino-Japanese War. The peace conference took place from March 20 to April 17, 1895...
in March 1895 with his ailing foreign minister Mutsu Munemitsu
Mutsu Munemitsu
Count was a statesman and diplomat in Meiji period Japan.-Early life:Mutsu Munemitsu was born in Wakayama domain, Kii Province as the sixth son of Date Munehiro, a samurai retainer of the Kii Tokugawa clan...
. In the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation
Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation
The signed by Britain and Japan, on July 16, 1894, was a breakthrough agreement; it heralded the end of the unequal treaties and the system of extraterritoriality in Japan. The treaty came into force on July 17, 1899....
of 1894, he succeeded in removing some of the onerous unequal treaty clauses that had plagued Japanese foreign relations since the start of the Meiji period.
During Itō’s third term as prime minister (January 12 – June 30, 1898), he encountered problems with party politics
Party Politics
Party Politics is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes papers in the field of Political Science. The journal's editors are David M Farrell and Paul Webb...
. Both the Jiyūtō and the Shimpotō
Shimpoto
' was a short-lived political party in Meiji period Japan.The Shimpotō was founded by Ōkuma Shigenobu in March 1896, as a merger of the Rikken Kaishintō and minor political parties to offset a temporary alliance between Ōkuma's rival, Itō Hirobumi and the Jiyuto.In June 1898, the Shimpotō merged...
opposed his proposed new land taxes, and in retaliation, Itō dissolved the Diet
Diet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
and called for new elections. As a result, both parties merged into the Kenseitō
Kenseito
The was a political party in the Meiji period Empire of Japan.The Kenseitō was founded in June 1898, as a merger of the Shimpotō headed by Ōkuma Shigenobu and the Jiyūtō led by Itagaki Taisuke, with Ōkuma as party president. The merger gave the new party an overwhelming majority in the Lower House...
, won a majority of the seats, and forced Itō to resign. This lesson taught Itō the need for a pro-government political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
, so he organized the Rikken Seiyūkai
Rikken Seiyukai
The was one of the main political parties in the pre-war Empire of Japan. It was also known simply as the ‘Seiyūkai'Founded on September 15, 1900 by Itō Hirobumi , the Seiyūkai was a pro-government alliance of bureaucrats and former members of the Kenseitō. The Seiyūkai was the most powerful...
in 1900. Itō's womanizing was a popular theme in editorial cartoons and in parodies by contemporary comedians, and was used by his political enemies in their campaign against him.
Itō returned to office as prime minister for a fourth term from October 19, 1900, to May 10, 1901, this time facing political opposition from the House of Peers. Weary of political back-stabbing, he resigned in 1901, but remained as head of the Privy Council as the premiership alternated between Saionji Kimmochi and Katsura Tarō
Katsura Taro
Prince , was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, politician and three-time Prime Minister of Japan.-Early life:Katsura was born into a samurai family from Hagi, Chōshū Domain...
. Itō received an honorary doctorate from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
around this time.
It was during his terms as Prime Minister that he invited Professor George Trumbull Ladd
George Trumbull Ladd
George Trumbull Ladd was an American philosopher, educator and psychologist.-Early life and ancestors:...
of Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
to serve as a diplomatic adviser to promote mutual understanding between Japan and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was because of his series of lectures he delivered in Japan revolutionizing its educational methods, that he was the first foreigner to receive the Second Class honor (conferred by the Meiji Emperor in 1907) and the Third Class honor (conferred by The Meiji Emperor in 1899), Orders of the Rising Sun. He later wrote an interesting book on his personal experiences in Korea and with Resident-General Ito. Following his assassination, half of Hirobumi's ashes were buried in a Tokyo Temple and a monument was erected to him.
As Resident-General of Korea
In November 1905, following the Russo-Japanese WarRusso-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, the Korean government signed the Eulsa Treaty
Eulsa Treaty
The Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905, also known as the Eulsa Treaty or Japan–Korea Protectorate Treaty, was made between the Empire of Japan and the Korean Empire in 1905. Negotiations were concluded on November 17, 1905....
, making Korea a Japanese protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
. After the Eulsa Treaty had been signed, Itō became the first Resident-General of Korea
Resident-General of Korea
When Korea was a protectorate of Japan, Japan was represented by the Resident-General.- List of Japanese Residents-General :#Itō Hirobumi#Sone Arasuke#Terauchi Masatake...
on December 21, 1905. He urged Emperor Gojong to abdicate in 1907 in favor of his son Emperor Sunjong and pushed through the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty of 1907
Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty of 1907
The Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907 was made between the Empire of Japan and the Korean Empire in 1907. Negotiations were concluded on July 24, 1907.-Treaty provisions:The treaty provided that Korea shall act under guidance of Japanese resident general...
, giving Japan control over Korean internal affairs. However, Ito's position was nuanced. He was firmly against Korea falling into the hand of China and Russia, which would cause a grave threat to Japan's national security. However, he was actually against the annexation, instead advocating that Korea remain a protectorate. When the cabinet eventually voted to annex Korea, he insisted and obtained a delay, hoping that the decision of annexation could be reversed in the future. His political nemesis, the politically influential Imperial Japanese Army, led by Yamagata Aritomo
Yamagata Aritomo
Field Marshal Prince , also known as Yamagata Kyōsuke, was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and twice Prime Minister of Japan. He is considered one of the architects of the military and political foundations of early modern Japan. Yamagata Aritomo can be seen as the father of Japanese...
, whose main faction was advocating annexation forced Itō to resign on June 14, 1909. His assassination is believed to have accelerated the path to the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty
Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty
The Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910, also known as the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty, was made by representatives of the Empire of Japan and the Korean Empire in 1910. Negotiations were concluded on August 20, 1910...
.
Itō proclaimed that if East Asia would not co-operate together like brothers, all would be absorbed into Western countries. Gojong and the Joseon government believing in these claims, agreed to help the Japanese military. However, the opinion of Joseon soon turned against Japan as many Japanese actions were considered to be too brutal and barbaric including confiscation of lands and drafting civilians for forced labor, even executing those that resisted. Ironically his killer An Jung-geun strongly believed in a union of the three great countries in East Asia, China, Korea, and Japan in order to counter and fight off the "White Peril", being the European countries engaged in colonialism, restoring peace to East Asia.
Using considerable political and foreign policy skills, and aided by strong Japanese military, Ito laid the foundation for Japan's colonization of Korea and expansion into Manchuria, China and Russia.
Assassination
Itō arrived at the Harbin Railway StationHarbin Railway Station
Harbin station is a railway station of Jingha railway, Hada Railway, Binsui Railway and Binzhou Railway. The station located in the town of Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.-History:Songhuajiang station opened in October,1899...
on October 26, 1909 for a meeting with Vladimir Kokovtsov
Vladimir Kokovtsov
Count Vladimir Nikolayevich Kokovtsov was a Russian prime minister during the reign of Nicholas II of Russia.- Biography :...
, a Russian representative in Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
. When he arrived and proceeded to meet his Russian colleague, An Jung-geun
An Jung-geun
An Jung-geun or Ahn Jung-geun was a Korean independence activist, nationalist, and pan-Asianist....
, a Korean nationalist
Korean nationalism
Korean nationalism refers to nationalism among the Korean people. In the Korean context, this encompasses various of movements throughout history to maintain the Korean cultural identity, history, and ethnicity.-History:...
and independence activist
Korean independence movement
The Korean independence movement grew out of the Japanese colonial rule of the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945. After the Japanese surrendered, Korea became independent; that day is now an annual holiday called Gwangbokjeol in South Korea, and Chogukhaebangŭi nal in North Korea.-Background:In...
, fired six shots at him. Three of those shots hit Itō in the chest and he died shortly thereafter.
Legacy
A portrait of Itō Hirobumi was on the 1,000 yen note of Japan from 1963 until a new series was issued in 1984. His former house is preserved as a museum near the Shoin Jinja, in Hagi city, Yamaguchi prefecture. However, the actual structure was Itō’s second home, formerly located in Shinagawa, TokyoShinagawa, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Shinagawa City. The ward is home to nine embassies.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 344,461 and a density of 15,740 persons per km². The total area is 22.72 km²....
.
The publishing company Hakubunkan
Hakubunkan
is a Japanese publishing company founded in 1887 amidst the wealth and military prosperity of the Meiji era. Hakubunkan entered the publishing arena by printing a nationalist magazine as well as expanding into printing, advertising, paper manufacturing, and related businesses, becoming one of...
was named after Itō, based on an alternate pronunciation of his given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
.
Evaluation in modern Korea
According to Sunjong SillokAnnals of Joseon Dynasty
The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty are the annual records of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, which were kept from 1413 to 1865. The annals, or sillok, comprise 1,893 volumes and are thought to cover the longest continual period of a single dynasty in the world...
, Gojong said on October 28, 1909 that Itō Hirobumi made great efforts to develop civilization. However, it should be noted that Gojong sillok and Sujong sillok are regarded as "unreliable documents" by National Institute of Korean History
National Institute of Korean History
The National Institute of Korean History is a South Korean national organization in charge of researching, collecting, compiling, promoting the study of historical materials on Korean history. It was established as Guksagwan in March 1946, one year after the liberation of Korea and was changed to...
, given that the two sillok are not designated as National Treasures of South Korea
National treasures of South Korea
The National Treasures of Korea are a numbered set of tangible treasures, artifacts, sites, and buildings which are recognized by South Korea as having exceptional artistic, cultural and historical value...
and UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's World Heritage unlike other sillok due to Japanese influence exerted on them. They consider these last two documents are regarded as a falsification of history.
The 1979 North Korean film, An Jung-gun Shoots Ito Hirobumi, is an account of Hirobumi's assassination from the North Korean perspective.
1973 South Korean film Femme Fatale:Bae Jeong-ja
Femme Fatale:Bae Jeong-ja
Femme Fatale:Bae Jeong-ja is a 1973 South Korean film is based on the life of Bae Jeong-ja , a young Korean orphan adopted by Ito Hirobumi and raised as his daughter...
is life of Ito's apdoted daughter Bae Jung-ja (1850-1950)
Genealogy
- Hayashi family
∴Hayasi Awajinokami
Michioki
┃
┣━━━━┳━━━━┳━━━━━━━━━━┳━━━━━┳━━━━━━┳━━━━┳━━━━━┓
┃ ┃ ┃Hayasi Magoemon ┃ ┃ ┃ ┃ ┃
Michimoto Michiyo Michisige Michiyoshi Michisada Michikata Michinaga Michisue
┃
┃
┃Hayasi Magosaburō
Nobukatsu
┃
┃
┃Hayasi Magoemon
Nobuyoshi
┃
┏━━━━━━━━━━╋━━━━━┳━━━━┓
┃Hayasi Magoemon ┃ ┃ ┃
Nobuaki Sakuzaemon Sojyurō Matazaemon
┃ ┃
┃ ┃
┃Hayasi Hanroku ┃
Nobuhisa Genzō
┃ ┃
┣━━━━━┓ ┃
┃ ┃ ┃
Sōzaemon Heijihyōe Yoichiemon
┃ ┃
┏━━━━━┻━━━┓ ┏━━━┫
┃Hayasi Hanroku ┃ ┃ ┃
Rihachirō Riemon Masuzō Sukezaemon
┃adopted son of Hayasi Rihachirō
┏━━━┳━━━━━━━━━━━━┫
┃Itō ┃Hayasi Shinbei's wife ┃Morita Naoyoshi's wife
Jyuzō woman woman
┃
┃
┃Itō
Hirobumi
┃
┏━━━━╋━━━━━┳━━━━━┳━━━┓
┃Itō ┃Kida ┃Itō ┃ ┃
Hirokuni Humiyoshi Shinichi woman woman
┃
┣━━━━┳━━━━━┳━━━━━━━┳━━━┳━━━━━┳━━━━┳━━━━━┳━━━━━┳━━━━━┳━━━━━┳━━━┳━━━┓
┃Itō ┃Shimizu ┃Itō ┃Itō ┃Itō ┃Itō ┃Itō ┃Itō ┃Itō ┃Itō ┃ ┃ ┃
Hirotada Hiroharu Hiromichi Hiroya Hirotada Hiroomi Hironori Hirotsune Hirotaka Hirohide woman woman woman
┃
┣━━━━┳━━━┳━━┳━━━━┳━━┓
┃Itō ┃ ┃ ┃ ┃ ┃
Hiromasa woman woman woman woman woman
┃
┣━━━━┓
┃Itō ┃
Tomoaki woman
- Itō family
∴
Itō Yaemon
┃
Itō Naoemon (Mizui Buhei)Yaemon's adopted son
┃
Itō Jyuzō (Hayashi Jyuzo)Naoemon's adopted son
┃
Itō Hirobumi (Hayashi Risuke)
Further reading
- Hamada Kengi (1936). Prince Ito. Tokyo: Sanseido Co.
- Johnston, John T.M. (1917). World patriots. New York: World Patriots Co.
- Kusunoki Sei'ichirō (1991). Nihon shi omoshiro suiri: Nazo no satsujin jiken wo oe. Tokyo: Futami bunko.
- Ladd, George T. (1908). In Korea with Marquis Ito
- Nakamura Kaju (1910). Prince Ito, the man and the statesman, a brief history of his life. New York: Japanese-American commercial weekly and Anraku Pub. Co.
- Palmer, Frederick (1910). Marquis Ito: the great man of Japan. n.p.
External links
- Biographical material at the Notable Names DatabaseNNDBThe Notable Names Database , produced by Soylent Communications, the same entity that produces Rotten, Daily Rotten, Dr. Sputnik's Society Pages and Penny Postcards, is an online database of biographical details of over 36,000 people of note...
. - About Japan: A Teacher's Resource Ideas about how to teach about Ito Hirobumi in a K-12 classroom
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