Marquis Saigo Tsugumichi ( 西 郷 従 道 Saigo: Tsugumichi , June 1, 1843 , Kagoshima - July 18, 1902 , Tokyo ) is a Meiji politician and warrior . Fleet Admiral (1898), Marshal of the Fleet of the Japanese Empire (January 20, 1898). He was among the genro . The younger brother of Saigo Takamori .
| Saigo Zugumichi | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 General and Admiral of Japan Marquis Saigo Zugumichi | ||||||
| Date of Birth | June 1, 1843 | |||||
| Place of Birth | Kagoshima ( Satsuma Principality, Japan ) | |||||
| Date of death | July 18, 1902 [1] | |||||
| Place of death | Tokyo (Japan) | |||||
| Affiliation |  Japan empire | |||||
| Type of army |  Imperial Army of Japan  Imperial Navy of Japan | |||||
| Years of service | 1869-1902 | |||||
| Rank | Fleet General and Marshal | |||||
| Commanded | ||||||
| Battles / wars | Anglo-Satsum War War bosin Campaign to Taiwan (1874) Satsuma uprising | |||||
| Awards and prizes |
| |||||
Biography
Youth
Saigo was born in Kagoshima into the family of the samurai Saigo Kithibe. His older brother was Saigo Takamori .
Saigoµ changed names several times throughout his life. His real name was Ryuko or Ryudo. He also bore the following names: Judo, Shingo, Ryusuke and Tsugumichi [2] .
On the recommendation of Arimura Shunsai, he became a Buddhist monk conducting ceremonies for the daimyo Satsuma Shimazu Nariakira . After he returned to high life, he became a loyal follower of Arimura. As a Satsumi samurai, he participated in the Anglo-Satsuma war and later joined the movement for the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate .
Saigoµ commanded Satsuma's forces in a number of battles during the Bosin War .
Army Service
In 1869, Saigo Zugumichi left for Europe with General Yamagata Aritomo to study military affairs. After returning to Japan, he became lieutenant general of the Imperial Army of Japan and commanded the Japanese forces during an unsuccessful punitive expedition to Taiwan in 1874.
In 1873, his older brother Saigo Takamori resigned due to the fact that he was not able to persuade the government and the emperor to attack Korea. Many other Satsuma natives followed Takamori, but Tsugumichi remained loyal to Meiji . Following the suicide of Takamori during the Satsuma uprising , Tsugumichi became the most prominent Satsuma politician. In 1894, he received the title of count according to the kazoku system .
Public Service
Saigoµ has held significant posts in Ito Hirobumi’s first cabinet, such as the Minister of the Navy and the Minister of the Interior. As Minister of the Interior, Saigoµ sought the death sentence for Tsuda Sanzo , who attempted to assassinate Nicholas II .
In 1892, Saigoµ became a member of the Privy Council and became a genro . In the same year, he founded the Kokumin Kekai political party (国民 協会, People’s League).
Saigo Zugumichi and his foreign friends. Felix Beato sits in the foreground next to Saigo. 1882 year
Saigo Zugumichi House in Kamimeguro, Tokyo , 1882
In 1894, Saigoµ received the rank of admiral, and in the same year he was awarded the title of Marquis. In 1898, the Imperial Navy of Japan awarded him the honorary title of Fleet Admiral.
He died in 1902 in Tokyo .
Notes
- ↑ Nishida, Imperial Japanese Navy
- ↑ After the Meiji Restoration, Saigo went to a government agency in order to register. He gave his name, but the official mistakenly spelled it as “Judo” (従 道). Saigoµ never bothered to regain his former name. Tsugumichi is another reading of the characters 従 道.