Ito Toshiyoshi
Encyclopedia
Baron was an admiral
in the early Imperial Japanese Navy
, and served as the first Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
in the late 19th century.
, Kyoto prefecture
. A gifted child with a flare for mathematics
, he was sent by the domain leaders to Edo
, where he studied rangaku
under noted military theorist Ōmura Masujirō
. He served in the fledgling Imperial Japanese Navy
as captain of the frigate
Kasuga
in 1871, with the rank of lieutenant commander
. He served as executive officer
on the corvette
Nisshin the following year, and was promoted to commander
in 1873.
In 1872, Itō became captain of the corvette Tsukuba, and was transferred to become captain of the ironclad warship
Kongō
in 1878. He was promoted to captain the same year.
In 1881, Itō became commandant of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
.
Itō was promoted to rear admiral
on 6 June 1886 and subsequently served in various staff capacities in charge of warship procurement though 1889. He was briefly Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
in 1889 and was Vice Minister of the Navy
from 1890-1898. He was promoted to vice admiral
in 1890.
On 20 August 1895, Itō was ennobled with the title of baron
(danshaku) under the kazoku
peerage system.
Itō entered the reserves from 1899, and served in the House of Peers from the same year until his death in 1921.
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
in the early Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
, and served as the first Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
The was the highest organ within the Imperial Japanese Navy. In charge of planning and operations, it was headed by an Admiral headquartered in Tokyo.-History:...
in the late 19th century.
Biography
Itō was born in Tanabe Domain, in what is now part of Maizuru cityMaizuru, Kyoto
is a city located in Kyōto, Japan, on an inlet of the Sea of Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 89,626 and the density of 264 persons per km². The total area is .The city was founded on May 27, 1943....
, Kyoto prefecture
Kyoto Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Kyoto.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Kyoto prefecture was known as Yamashiro....
. A gifted child with a flare for mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, he was sent by the domain leaders to Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
, where he studied rangaku
Rangaku
Rangaku is a body of knowledge developed by Japan through its contacts with the Dutch enclave of Dejima, which allowed Japan to keep abreast of Western technology and medicine in the period when the country was closed to foreigners, 1641–1853, because of the Tokugawa shogunate’s policy of national...
under noted military theorist Ōmura Masujirō
Omura Masujiro
-External links:* * * http://www.jstor.org/view/03636917/di973569/97p0119n/0...
. He served in the fledgling Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
as captain of the frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
Kasuga
Japanese warship Kasuga (1862)
was a Japanese wooden paddle steamer warship of the Bakumatsu and early Meiji period, serving with the navy of Satsuma Domain, and later with the fledgling Imperial Japanese Navy.-Service in the Boshin War:...
in 1871, with the rank of lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
. He served as executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
on the corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
Nisshin the following year, and was promoted to commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in 1873.
In 1872, Itō became captain of the corvette Tsukuba, and was transferred to become captain of the ironclad warship
Ironclad warship
An ironclad was a steam-propelled warship in the early part of the second half of the 19th century, protected by iron or steel armor plates. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or incendiary shells. The first ironclad battleship, La Gloire,...
Kongō
Japanese corvette Kongo (1877)
was the lead ship in the of armored sail-and-steam corvettes of the early Imperial Japanese Navy. Kongō was named after the Mount Kongō, in Nara Prefecture and the name was subsequently used for the World War II battleship , as well as the s of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense...
in 1878. He was promoted to captain the same year.
In 1881, Itō became commandant of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
The was a school established to train officers for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It originally located in Nagasaki, moved to Yokohama in 1866, and was relocated to Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1869. It moved to Etajima, Hiroshima in 1888...
.
Itō was promoted to rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
on 6 June 1886 and subsequently served in various staff capacities in charge of warship procurement though 1889. He was briefly Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
The was the highest organ within the Imperial Japanese Navy. In charge of planning and operations, it was headed by an Admiral headquartered in Tokyo.-History:...
in 1889 and was Vice Minister of the Navy
Ministry of the Navy of Japan
The was a cabinet-level ministry in the Empire of Japan charged with the administrative affairs of the Imperial Japanese Navy . It existed from 1872 to 1945.-History:...
from 1890-1898. He was promoted to vice admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
in 1890.
On 20 August 1895, Itō was ennobled with the title of baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
(danshaku) under the 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...
peerage system.
Itō entered the reserves from 1899, and served in the House of Peers from the same year until his death in 1921.