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extra= October 26, 1825July 20, 1883 was a Japanese Politician during the Bakumatsu and Meiji period.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Iwakura Tomomi" in . He was one of the leading figures of the Meiji Restoration, which saw Japan's transition from feudalism to modernism.
Born to a noble family, he was adopted by the influential Iwakura family. By 1858 he was an advisor to Emperor Kōmei, but was exiled from the royal court from 1862 to 1867 for his moderation. After release, he became the liaison between the court and the anti-Tokugawa movement. He played a central role in the new Meiji government after 1868. He successfully opposed aggressive policies in Korea in Seikanron, and was nearly assassinated by his enemies.
He led the 50-member Iwakura Mission for 18 months in Europe and America, studying modern institutions, technology, and diplomacy. The Mission promoted many key reforms that quickly modernized Japan. He promoted a strong imperial system along Western lines, and played a central role in creating financial institutions for the nation.
The 500 Yen banknote issued by the Bank of Japan carried his portrait.
After Tairō Ii Naosuke was assassinated in 1860, Iwakura supported the Kobugattai Movement, an alliance of the Court and the Shogunate. The central policy of this alliance was the marriage of the Shōgun Tokugawa Iemochi and Princess Kazu-no-Miya Chikako, the younger sister of the Emperor Kōmei. Andō and Kuze became rōjū and began to have power, and they suggested the marriage for the Kōbu gattai, the settlement of the imperial court and the shogunate. Although the shogunate ordered marriage of Kazunomiya and Tokugawa Iemochi, the emperor Kōmei opposed to this request because Kazunomiya and Arisugawanomiya had been already engaged. Also, he could not understand about Kōbu gattai. At that time, the emperor Kōmei demanded an opinion of Iwakura, because he knew that Iwakura was a talented person. Iwakura suggested that the emperor should let the shogunate promise the executing of the treaty withdrawal and allow the marriage of Kazunomiya and Iemochi. The emperor accepted Iwakura's opinion, and the marriage of Kazunomiya and Iemochi was officially decided and the shogunate declared to execute jōi. Samurai and nobles who supported the more radical Sonnō jōi policy saw Iwakura as a supporter of the Shogunate, and put pressure on the Court to expel him. As a result, Iwakura left the Court in 1862 and moved to Iwakura, north of Kyoto. Emperor Kōmei claimed that Iwakura was innocent, but could not stop people who supported radical Sonnō jōi.
Iwakura decided to hide upon receiving a threatening message from Takechi Hanpeita from Tosa clans that if Iwakura did not leave the urban area of Kyoto, he would be exposed to Shijōkawara, which meant his death. He started to live in the Reigenji-temple in Nishigamo, where a grave of Iwakura ancestor was. On that day, he wrote about his despair in his diary. After that he found that the Reigenji-temple was not suitable for a long-term stay, so he moved to the Saihōji-temple. Moreover, the imperial court issued the order of expulsion from the city, so he had to move to Iwakura village. Sanshirō, a foster parent of Iwakura's third son, suggested this place.
On October 15th, 1867, the shogunate, Tokugawa Yoshinobu returned his power to the imperial court. Yoshinobu worried about the external crisis and recognized the importance of national unity. In this situation, Ōkubo planned the coup that abolished the shogunate and sekkan systems. On December 8th, Iwakura participated in the kogosho meeting and talked about the disposal of Yoshinobu. During this meeting, Yamauchi Yōdō shouted, claiming that they should let Yoshinobu participate in this meeting and criticized a coup. It is a famous episode that Iwakura scolded Yamauchi because his attitude was rude, but this episode is a fiction. In fact, Iwakura could not easily convince Yamauchi, and their discussion was continued for the long term. Finally, Iwakura and Ōkubo convinced those who opposed the disposal of Yoshinobu.
With Ōkubo Toshimichi and Saigō Takamori, on January 3, 1868, he engineered the seizure of the Kyoto Imperial Palace by forces loyal to Satsuma and Chōshū, thus initiating the Meiji Restoration. He commissioned Imperial banners with the sun and moon on a red field, which helped ensure that the encounters of the Meiji Restoration were generally bloodless affairs.
Soon after his appointment as Udaijin in 1871, he led the two-year around-the-world journey known as the Iwakura mission, visiting the United States and several countries in Europe with the purpose of renegotiating the unequal treaties and gathering information to help effect the modernization of Japan. American newspapers reported that a visit by Iwakura was as important as a visit by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He failed when he discussed the revision of the unequal treaty with the U.S. president. The U.S. president pointed out that Iwakura did not have a commission of full powers. Ōkubo and Itō immediately returned to Japan on March 24 to get a commission of full powers and then returned to the United States on June 17. Despite their efforts, the United States was no longer interested in the revision of the unequal treaty at that time.
During his travels, Iwakura was surprised at the economic prosperity he observed in western countries. He was especially interested in the railways. Also, he learned the importance of religious problems in the United States and he thought that the prohibition of Christianity was an obstacle to change the unequal treaties. Besides, he felt the danger of rapid Westernization, because he saw and learned about the merits and demerits of Westernization. At first, this trip was planned for 10 months and a half, but it took a year and 10 months in the end. A celebration was held in Manchester and Liverpool in 1997 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Iwakura Mission.
Before the return of the Iwakura mission, the dispatch of Saigō to Korea was decided in a cabinet meeting. Generally, people thought that the dispatch of Saigō was too dangerous, but Saigō persisted in his decision. On his return to Japan in 1873, he was just in time to prevent an invasion of Korea ( Seikanron). Iwakura opposed the dispatch because Japan also faced foreign issues concerning Karafuto and Taiwan. Also, Iwakura wanted to prevent the dispatch of Saigō to avoid foreign wars. Realizing that Japan was not in any position to challenge the western powers in its present state, he advocated strengthening the imperial institution, which he felt could be accomplished through a written constitution and a limited form of parliamentary democracy. Ōkubo supported Iwakura's idea. In the next meeting, Saigō was absent to imply his disposal in case his claim would not be accepted. Sanjō Sanetomi, a prime minister was surprised about it and suddenly changed his opinion from the opposition of dispatch to the acceptance of dispatch. A lot of members including Iwakura criticized the sudden mind change of Sanjō, and they requested their disposal. Sanjō panicked and he became unable to work because he wanted to avoid every member's disposal. Instead of Sanjō, Iwakura became the substitute of the prime minister and prevented the dispatch of Saigō. Due to this decision, some people had complaints, and Iwakura was attacked by nine people led by Takechi Kumakichi in Kuichigaizaka, Akasaka. He was slightly injured but severely damaged mentally. (Kuichigai Incident)
In 1873, Kido and Ōkubo raised written opinions about a constitution. Both opinions said that Japan should make a constitution as soon as possible, so to establishing a constitution became an urgent issue in Japan. In this situation, Ōkubo was assassinated in 1878, and Iwakura had to choose Itō Hirobumi or Ōkuma Shigenobu as a successor of Ōkubo. Itō wanted an absolute monarchy as in Germany while Ōkuma favored a constitutional monarchy as exemplified by the United Kingdom. Ultimately, Iwakura chose Itō and the German model as the basis for Japan's constitution.
On 19 April 1876, Iwakura became the director of the Peerage Hall. However, in the early Meiji period, it was not clear what exactly they were doing, and as a result they were more independent than they were later on, and conflicts often occurred, especially between those from feudal lords and those from court nobles. It was like that. However, the nobility that Iwakura had in mind was a European-style aristocracy whose mission was solely to support the imperial family. Therefore, it was necessary to make all Chinese people understand that petty conflicts based on the old framework were pointless.
However, from around 1880 (Meiji 13), the Freedom and People's Rights Movement gained momentum, and discussions on establishing a constitution accelerated. He ordered Inoue Kowashi to begin work on a constitution in late June 1881, and ordered Itō Hirobumi to Europe to study various European systems. In March 1882, Itō departed for Europe. Iwakura had high expectations for the investigation of Itō. On the other hand, during the dispatch of Itō, Iwakura worried that Itō might be really influenced by Germany. Although Iwakura accepted to make a constitution based on the Germany system, he wanted to make a constitution unique to Japan. Also, Iwakura wanted to cherish the Japanese tradition and emperor system. From such an idea, in 1882, He established an Internal regulation interrogation station to investigate imperial ceremonies and Japanese tradition, and offered the install of the National history compilation stations in 1883. This station aimed to translate Japanese history into English.
Although in poor health by early 1883, Iwakura went to Kyoto in May to direct efforts to restore and preserve the imperial palace and the buildings of the old city, many of which had been falling into disrepair since the transfer of the capital to Tokyo. Soon however, he became seriously ill and was confined to his bed. The Meiji Emperor sent his personal physician, Erwin Bälz, to examine Iwakura; Baelz diagnosed advanced throat cancer. The emperor personally visited his cousin and old friend on July 19, and was moved to tears at his condition. Iwakura died the following day at the age of 57, and was given a state funeral, the first ever given by the imperial government. Just before dying, Iwakura invited Inoue Kaoru over. Bälz and Inoue were with Iwakura until the end of his life. He was buried in Asamadai, Minami-Shinagawa.
"Iwakura was open-minded, and he was unique in court nobles."
Tokutomi Sohō
"Iwakura was an outstanding person. His appearance from bakumatsu to the early Meiji period was lucky for the Imperial Household, the state, and citizens."
"Iwakura was a brave man not only in court nobles but also in politicians."
Itō Hirobumi
"Iwakura was like a shelf."
(It means that when Itō faced the difficult problem, he could consult Iwakura.)
A poem by Iwakura was included in the 1942 .
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