37 Facts About Saionji Kinmochi

Prince Saionji Kinmochi was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1906 to 1908, and from 1911 to 1912.

For much of his career, Saionji worked to diminish the influence of the Imperial Japanese Army in political issues.

In 1882, Saionji Kinmochi again traveled to Europe with Ito Hirobumi to study constitutional law.

In 1900, Saionji Kinmochi assisted Ito in organizing the Rikken Seiyukai party.

Saionji Kinmochi led the Japanese delegation at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, and was given the title of prince in 1920.

Saionji Kinmochi was on the list of those to be assassinated in the February 26 incident, a failed coup in 1936, but survived and died in 1940.

Saionji Kinmochi was born in Kyoto as the son of Udaijin Tokudaiji Kin'ito, head of a kuge family of court nobility.

Saionji Kinmochi was adopted by another kuge family, the Saionji, in 1851.

However, he grew up near his biological parents, since both the Tokudaiji and Saionji Kinmochi lived very near the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

The young Saionji Kinmochi was frequently ordered to visit the palace as a playmate of the young prince who later became Emperor Meiji.

Saionji Kinmochi took part in the climactic events of his time, the Boshin War, the revolution in Japan of 1867 and 1868, which overthrew the Tokugawa shogunate and installed the young Emperor Meiji as the head of the government.

Saionji Kinmochi held the strong opinion that the nobles of the Imperial Court should seize the initiative and take part in the war.

Saionji Kinmochi participated in various battles as an imperial representative.

However, Saionji Kinmochi was relieved from command in the actual battle and appointed governor of Echigo.

Saionji Kinmochi left Japan on the SS Costa Rica with a group of thirty other Japanese students sailing to San Francisco.

Saionji Kinmochi traveled on to Washington, DC where he met Ulysses Grant, President of the United States of America.

Saionji Kinmochi then crossed the Atlantic, spent 13 days in London sightseeing, before finally arriving in Paris on 27 May 1871.

Saionji Kinmochi went to Switzerland and Nice, before settling in Marseille, where he learned French with the accent of that city.

Saionji Kinmochi made his way to Paris following the suppression of the Commune.

Saionji Kinmochi studied law at the University of Paris and became involved with Emile Acollas, who had set up the Acollas Law School for foreign students studying law in Paris.

Saionji Kinmochi arrived in France with highly reactionary views but he was influenced by Acollas and became the most liberal of Japanese major political figures of his generation.

Saionji Kinmochi made many acquaintances in France, including Franz Liszt, the Goncourt brothers, and the fellow Sorbonne student Georges Clemenceau.

Saionji Kinmochi served as Minister of Education in the 2nd and 3rd Ito administrations and 2nd Matsukata administration.

In 1900, Ito founded the Rikken Seiyukai political party, and Saionji Kinmochi joined as one of the first members.

Saionji Kinmochi was one of the few early politicians who claimed that the majority party in parliament had to be the basis for forming a cabinet.

Saionji Kinmochi became president of the Privy Council in August 1900, and president of the Rikken Seiyukai in 1903.

From 7 January 1906, to 14 July 1908, and again from 30 August 1911, to 21 December 1912, Saionji Kinmochi served as Prime Minister of Japan.

Saionji Kinmochi had to struggle with the national budget with many demands and finite resources, Yamagata sought ceaselessly the greatest expansion of the army.

The fall of Saionji Kinmochi's second cabinet was a major reverse to constitutional government.

Saionji Kinmochi exercised his prerogative of naming the prime ministers very nearly until his death in 1940 at the age of 90.

Saionji Kinmochi could choose political leaders only when they might be strong enough to form an effective government.

Saionji Kinmochi nominated military men and non-party politicians when he felt necessary.

In 1919, Saionji Kinmochi led the Japanese delegation at the Paris Peace Conference, though his role remained largely confined to a symbolic role due to ill health.

Saionji Kinmochi was detested by Japanese militarists and was on the list of those to be assassinated in the attempted coup of February 26,1936.

For much of his career, Saionji Kinmochi tried to diminish the influence of the Imperial Japanese Army in political issues.

Saionji Kinmochi was one of the most liberal of Emperor Hirohito's advisors, and favored friendly relations with Great Britain and the United States.

Political scientist Kenneth Colegrove wrote in 1936 that Saionji Kinmochi had "extensive" influence over Japanese politics.