Itagaki Taisuke

Itagaki Taisuke, born on May twenty-first, eighteen thirty-seven, was a prominent Japanese samurai and politician who played a crucial role in the Freedom and People's Rights Movement, which laid the groundwork for Japan's first political party, the Liberal Party. His advocacy for parliamentary democracy significantly influenced the political landscape of Meiji Japan.

A native of the Tosa Domain, Itagaki emerged as a leading figure during the Meiji Restoration, holding various important positions in the new government, including that of Councillor of State. However, in eighteen seventy-three, he resigned after his proposal for a military expedition to Korea was rejected by the ruling oligarchy, marking a pivotal moment in his political journey.

Following his resignation, Itagaki established the Aikoku Kōtō, Japan's first political association, and initiated a movement aimed at creating a representative assembly. His memorial to the government in eighteen seventy-four, advocating for a national assembly, ignited a nationwide debate and is regarded as the foundational event of the Freedom and People's Rights Movement.

In eighteen eighty-one, he founded the Liberal Party, which is widely recognized as Japan's first modern political party. Despite surviving an assassination attempt in eighteen eighty-two, Itagaki continued to expand his political knowledge through travels in Europe. After the promulgation of the Meiji Constitution in eighteen eighty-nine, he furthered his political career, serving as Minister of Home Affairs in cabinets led by Itō Hirobumi and Ōkuma Shigenobu.