Yamagata Aritomo

Born June 14, 1838, in Yamaguchi Prefecture; died Feb. 1, 1922. Japanese military and political figure; marshal. Prince.

Yamagata played an active role in the bourgeois revolution of 1867–68 (seeMEIJI RESTORATION). He helped initiate the military reforms of 1872. He was commander of the guards and chief of the General Staff from 1878 to 1885, home minister from 1885 to 1888, and prime minister from 1889 to 1891 and from 1898 to 1900. During the Sino-Japanese War of 1894–95, Yamagata commanded the Japanese First Army. During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05 he was chief of the Japanese General Staff. In 1909 he became chairman of the Privy Council, an advisory body to the emperor. Yamagata was a member of the Genro.