Ōkubo Toshimichi

Ōkubo Toshimichi (Japanese: 大久保 利通; 26 September 1830 – 14 May 1878) was a Japanese statesman and samurai of the Satsuma Domain who played a central role in the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the Three Great Nobles of the Restoration (維新の三傑, Ishin no Sanketsu), alongside Kido Takayoshi and Saigō Takamori.

Ōkubo was a key figure in the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate. Following the Restoration, he became a dominant force in the new Meiji government. As Home Minister and later de facto head of government, he spearheaded numerous reforms aimed at modernizing Japan, establishing a strong centralized state, and promoting industrial development. His policies, often characterized by realism and a focus on national strength (fukoku kyōhei), earned him the informal title "Bismarck of Japan". He was instrumental in the abolition of the feudal domains (haihan chiken), the establishment of a national army, and the promotion of Western technology and institutions.

His career was marked by significant domestic and foreign policy challenges, including the Saga Rebellion, the Formosan Expedition of 1874, and the Satsuma Rebellion led by his former ally Saigō Takamori. Ōkubo's firm, often authoritarian, approach to governance and his central role in suppressing dissent made him a controversial figure. He was assassinated by disaffected samurai in 1878. Despite his relatively short career in the national government, Ōkubo's contributions to the formation of modern Japan were profound and enduring.