Koutaro

Born in the Changzhou clan, he was the head disciple of Yamamato, the first elder of the army. After Yamato retired from Yamato, he became his spokesperson. He appeared to form a cabinet three times (1901-1906; 1908-1911; 1912-1913). During his term, he concluded the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, fought the Russo-Japanese War, and planned to annex Korea. He was the longest-serving prime minister in Japan's history. Like Yamato, he opposed party politics and advocated the rule of the vassal, but later also came forward to form his own party. This period is known as the "Keiyuan Period" because Koutaro and Saionji Gongwang took turns to form a cabinet.

Koutaro was born in Yamaguchi Prefecture, the second son of Changzhou Fan Shigui and Yiemon. In 1868, he participated in the Battle of Toba Fushimi and the Wuchen War. In 1870, he went to Germany to study military and military system. After returning to China in 1873, he served as an army captain. Under the leadership of Youpeng in Yamaguchi Prefecture, he engaged in the reform of Japanese military modernization, and was regarded by Yamaguchi Prefecture as his proud disciple and successor.

In 1875, he served as the deputy military attache of the legation in Germany. In 1878, he served as the intelligence officer of the staff bureau. On February 16, 1884, he went abroad with the Secretary of Army of Dashaniwa. On May 21, 1885, he was promoted to major general of the army and director of general affairs of the Ministry of Army. In 1886, he became the first under-secretary of the Japanese Army. He served as the judge and director of military affairs of the Ministry of Army. During the Sino-Japanese War, he served as the commander of the 3rd Division. In 1896, he succeeded Kizi Huayama as the second governor of Taiwan and the governor of the defense of Tokyo. From 1898 to 1900, he served as the minister of the army. In 1898, he was promoted to general of the army. (In 1912, he was promoted to field marshal by the army leadership,

He formed a cabinet for the first time in 1901, and was promoted to Count on February 27, 1902. He was also the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Education and Culture. He played a leading role in promoting the Japanese-British Alliance, the Russo-Japanese War, and the merger of Japan and South Korea. On January 7, 1906, he resigned for the first time in the Gui Cabinet and served as a military senator. On April 1, he was appointed as a chrysanthemum and a marquis on September 21, 1907.

On July 14, 1907, he served as Prime Minister of the Second Cabinet and Minister of Finance and Finance. When he was promoted to the throne on April 21, 1911, the principal and interest of foreign debt issued due to the Russo-Japanese War exceeded twice the annual budget, reaching 1 billion yen. Moreover, Japan did not receive war reparations and had to borrow more foreign debt in order to repay its principal and interest. Therefore, military expansion can only rely on tax increases and cuts in administrative and fiscal expenditures. As a result, the cabinet and the Ministry of Finance tried their best to suppress the army and navy's budget requirements for expansion, resulting in another quarrel between the navy and the army over limited budgetary resources, and Kitaro had to resign in August 1911.

After the death of Emperor Meiji, Yamashiro was recommended to enter the palace as a minister of the interior. Emperor Taisho, who suffered from encephalopathy and had no ability to govern, was completely at the mercy of Koutaro, so Koutaro was called "the man who hid behind the dragon's sleeve". He formed a cabinet for the third time in December 1912, which was strongly opposed. He took out the emperor's edict twice to no avail. He was finally ousted in February 1913, known as the Constitutional Protection Movement. Died on October 10, aged 65. Posthumously awarded the Daisho Chrysanthemum Medal Necklace. He was awarded the Third Grade Gold Medal. Koutaro was one of the nine elders of the Taisho period in Japan. The Anglo-Japanese Alliance, Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War in Northeast China and the complete annexation of Korea all took place during his tenure as prime minister Therefore, the period when Koutaro served as Prime Minister was the period when Japan rapidly expanded into a military power in Asia. It is no exaggeration to say that his "great contributions" to the strength and expansion of the modern Japanese Empire are second only to the dozen or so fathers of the Meiji Restoration. Japan quickly became the hegemon of Asia through a frenzied war of aggression in just a few short years (1895-1911); Koutaro also stepped on the blood and tears of the Chinese and Korean people. He became a duke in 16 years. He was also the only person to be awarded the title of duke except for members of the royal family, old princes, and fallen fathers.