11 Facts About Inoue Kaoru

Marquess Inoue Kaoru was a Japanese politician and a prominent member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period of the Empire of Japan.

Inoue Kaoru was a close boyhood friend of Ito Hirobumi who later became Japan's first prime minister, and he played an active part in the sonno joi movement.

Inoue Kaoru later played a key role in the formation of the Satcho Alliance against the Tokugawa shogunate.

Inoue Kaoru was appointed Vice Minister of Finance in 1871 and was influential in reorganizing government finances on modern lines, especially in the reform of the land tax system, termination of government stipends to the ex-samurai and former aristocracy and for promoting industrialization.

Inoue Kaoru took part in the Osaka Conference of 1875 to support the creation of a representative national assembly.

In 1876, Inoue Kaoru was asked to assist in the field of foreign affairs, and was involved in the conclusion of the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1876 as vice-ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary.

Inoue Kaoru returned to government as Minister of Public Works in 1878 and Lord of Foreign Affairs in 1879 under the early Meiji Dajo-kan Cabinet.

In December 1885, Inoue Kaoru officially became Japan's first Minister of Foreign Affairs bearing that title in the first Ito Hirobumi cabinet.

However, Inoue Kaoru came under public criticism for his failure to negotiate a revision of the unequal treaties, his building of the Rokumeikan, and support of its Westernizing influences, which forced him to resign in August 1887.

From 1901 onwards, Inoue Kaoru served as most senior of the genro, and considered himself the government's foremost advisor on financial affairs.

Inoue Kaoru was advanced to the title of marquis in 1907, and died in 1915 at his summer home at Okitsu-juku, Shizuoka prefecture.