Okuma Shigenobu

Marquis Okuma Shigenobu ( Japanese 大 隈 重 信 O: Kuma Shigenobu , March 11, 1838 , Saga - January 10, 1922 , Tokyo ) - Japanese statesman and politician, diplomat, financier, teacher of the Meiji and Taisho periods . The 8th and 17th Prime Minister of Japan . Founder of Waseda University .

Okuma Shigenobu
大 隈 重 信
8th Prime Minister of Japan June 30, 1898 - November 8, 1898
Monarch	Meiji
Predecessor	Ito Hirobumi
Successor	Yamagata Aritomo
17th Prime Minister of Japan April 16, 1914 - October 9, 1916
Monarch	Taisho
Predecessor	Yamamoto Gombay
Successor	Terauchi masatake
Japanese Foreign Minister June 30, 1898 - November 8, 1898
Head of the government	Okuma Shigenobu
Predecessor	Nishi Tokujiro
Successor	Aoki Shuzo
Japanese Foreign Minister September 22, 1896 - November 6, 1897
Head of the government	Matsukata Masayoshi
Predecessor	Saionji Kimmoti
Successor	Nishi Tokujiro
Japanese Foreign Minister February 1, 1888 - December 24, 1889
Head of the government	Kuroda Kiyotaka Sanjo Sanetomi
Predecessor	Ito Hirobumi
Successor	Aoki Shuzo
Birth	March 11, 1838 ( 1838-03-11 ) Saga , Tokugawa Shogunate
Death	January 10, 1922 ( 1922-01-10 ) (83 years old) Tokyo Japan
Burial place
Spouse	Okuma Ayako
The consignment
Autograph
Awards

Okuma Shigenobu Monument at Waseda University Building

Shigenobu was born March 11, 1838 in the city of Saga , Hizen Province (modern Saga Prefecture ) in the family of a samurai ^[3] . He studied Confucianism at the feudal school of the Hizen clan ^[4] . After the Meiji restoration , in 1867 - 1868 he held high positions in the industrial and financial departments of the new government. He was in the position of Minister of Finance in 1873 - 1881 , revised the salary payment system for the vassals of the feudal lords. He had close ties with the company Mitsubishi , which in the future became one of the largest concerns in Japan ^{[3] [4]} .
In 1882, Shigenobu formed one of the first political parties in Japan - the Constitutional Reform Party ( 立憲 改進 党 Rikken Kaisinto:) ^[5] . In the same 1882, he founded the Tokyo Special School ( . 専 門 学校 Tokyo Sammon Gakko:) , transformed into Waseda University in 1902 ^[3] , one of the largest and most prestigious private universities in modern Japan ^[5] .

In 1888 - 1889, he held the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs in the offices of Ito Hirobumi and Kuroda Kiyotaka . He re-occupied the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as the post of Minister of Agriculture and Trade in the second cabinet of Matsukat Masayoshi in 1896 - 1897 ^{[3] [6]} . Together with the founder of the Liberal Party ( Jap. 自由 党 Jiyu: then:) - Itagaki Taisuke , forms the Constitutional Party ( Jap. 憲政 党 Kensaito:) , on June 30, 1898, the first party cabinet in the history of Japan is formed, which nevertheless lasted only four months ^[7] . In 1907 he left politics for 7 years, is engaged in the affairs of Waseda University.

Shigenobu returns to politics during his first statement in defense of the constitution , takes the post of Prime Minister and forms his second cabinet in 1914 ^[3] . On his Prime term, Japan’s entry into World War I on the Entente’s side and the nomination on January 18, 1915 of the ultimate “ Twenty-One Demands ” to China ^[8] .
In August 1915, Shigenobu reorganized his government and, in addition to the post of prime minister, took up the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs. In June 1916, the emperor awarded him the title of a jamb ( 侯爵 марки , marquis ) for his services to the state. In October of that year, Shigenobu’s office in full force resigned.

Shigenobu died on January 10, 1922, tens of thousands of people attended a funeral ceremony in Khibiya Park . He was buried in the territory of Gokoku-ji Monastery, Bunkyo District , Tokyo .

Tomb of Okuma Shigenobu