was the son of Soga no Iname

Soga no Iname

. Soga no Iname was a leader of the Soga clan and a statesman during the reign of Emperor Kimmei in the Asuka period. He was the first person to hold the position of Ōomi that can be verified with reasonable accuracy, in 536 AD...

 and a member of the powerful Soga clan

Soga clan

The was one of the most powerful clans in Yamato Japan and played a major role in the spread of Buddhism. For many generations, in the 5th and 7th centuries, the Soga monopolized the position of Great Royal Chieftain and was the first of many families to dominate the Imperial House of Japan by...

 of 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...

.

Umako conducted political reforms with Prince Shōtoku

Prince Shotoku

, also known as or , was a semi-legendary regent and a politician of the Asuka period in Japan who served under Empress Suiko. He was a son of Emperor Yōmei and his younger half-sister Princess Anahobe no Hashihito. His parents were relatives of the ruling Soga clan, and was involved in the defeat...

 during the rules of Emperor Bidatsu

Emperor Bidatsu

was the 30th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Bidastsu's reign spanned the years from 572 through 585.-Traditional narrative:Bidatsu was called in the Nihonshoki....

 and Empress Suiko

Empress Suiko

was the 33rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Suiko's reign spanned the years from 593 until her death in 628....

 and established the Soga clan's stronghold in the government by having his daughter married with members of the royal family.

In the late 6th century, Soga no Umako went to great lengths to promote Buddhism in Japan. At that time, the Soga clan employed the immigrants from China and Korea, and obtained a high technology and knowledge. Soga no Umako, who made the acceptance of Buddhism, defeated Mononobe no Moriya

Mononobe no Moriya

was an Ō-muraji, a high-ranking clan head position of the ancient Japanese Yamato state, having inherited the position from his father Mononobe no Okoshi...

 in the Battle of Shigisan

Battle of Shigisan

The Battle of , , , , , or was a battle fought in 587 between Soga no Umako and Mononobe no Moriya at the riverside of the river in Kawachi Province, Japan near Mount Shigi. The battle practically exterminated the Mononobe clan, the most powerful opponent of Buddhism....

, and secured Soga dominance. On January 15, 593, Relics of Buddha were deposited inside the foundation stone under the pillar of a pagoda at Asuka-dera

Asuka-dera

', also known as ', is a Buddhist temple in Asuka, Nara. Asuka-dera is regarded as one of the oldest in Japan.-Temple complex:A number of records refer to the origin of the temple, such as the Nihongi and Fusō-ryakuki...

 (Hōkō-ji at the time), a temple which Umako ordered to construct, according to the Suiko section of Nihongi.
Ishibutai Kofun

Ishibutai Kofun

is a kofun in Asuka, Nara, JapanIshibutai has a rectangular chamber measuring 25 ft by 11 ft by 15 ft high approached by a passage 38 ft in length and roofed by two capstones each weighing between 60 and 70 tons. Modern estimates place the largest stone at approximately 75 tons....

 is believed to be the tomb of Soga no Umako.

Genealogy

Soga no Umako's wife was a daughter of Mononobe no Ogushi and a sister of Mononobe no Moriya; they had five children.

• Soga no Emishi
  Soga no Emishi
  was a statesman of the Yamato Imperial Court. His alternative names include Emishi and Toyora no Ooomi . After the death of his father Soga no Umako, Emishi took over Ooomi, the Minister of state, from his father....
  
  
• Soga no Kuramaro
• Kahakami no Iratsume, made consort of Emperor Sushun
  Emperor Sushun
  was the 32nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Sushun's reign spanned the years from 587 through 592.-Traditional narrative:...
  
   in 587, married to Yamato no Aya no Atahe in 592.
• Tojiko no Iratsume, consort of Shotoku Taishi
• Hode no Iratsume, consort of Emperor Jomei
  Emperor Jomei
  was the 34th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Jomei's reign spanned the years from 629 through 641.-Traditional narrative:Before Jomei's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was or...