On October 16, 1841, Hirobumi Ito (伊藤博文, 1841–1909) was born in the Choshu domain (current Yamaguchi Prefecture). He became Japan’s most influential statesman.
Although he participated in setting the British legation in Edo (current Tokyo) on fire (1861), Ito became aware of Western power after the bombardment of Shimonoseki (1864) and started to support the opening of Japan.
Ito was the first Governor of the newly created prefecture of Hyogo (1868), participated in the Iwakura Mission (1871-1873) and was Prime Minister of Japan for four times (1885–1888; 1892–1896; 1898–1898; 1900–1901).
He also planned the construction of Japan’s first railway (1872), assisted in subduing the Satsuma Rebellion lead by Takamori Saigo (1877), helped establish Japan’s first constitution (1888) and was Resident-General of Korea (1906-1909).
On October 26, 1909, Ito was assassinated by Korean nationalist An Jung-geun at the Harbin Railway Station.
