Unveiling Saionji Kinmochi: A Glimpse into the Life

by Cole Hittle

Saionji Kinmochi was many things: a child-chamberlain to the emperor at the age of three, a playmate to the future emperor not much later, a warrior who fought in the Meiji Restoration, the prime minister of Japan, and the last of the Genro. (Bunji Omura) However, being a Genro is likely Saionji’s most prestigious accomplishment. Genro, or principal elder in English, was a class of oligarchs who were able to act outside the constitution and had leading roles during the Meiji Restoration. The Genro subsequently dominated Japanese politics from 1889 to the early 1930s, when they acted as counselors to the emperor. (Genro | Japanese Oligarchy | Britannica) ​

While Saionji’s earlier years are often glossed over in favor of his later accomplishments, his childhood and early adult years shaped his outlook on life and paved the way for the man he was yet to become. During his childhood, he became very close to the emperor by being appointed a child-chamberlain and the prince by being appointed as the Minor General of the Right Imperial Guard, which in actuality placed Saionji as little more than a playmate to the prince. However, this appointment created a close tie that connected Saionji and the prince for the rest of their lives. Saionji also made a name for himself by fighting for the emperor during the Meiji Restoration. While the actual fighting Saionji consisted of only a single battle, there is evidence that Saionji personally conspired with the Sat-cho alliance (Bunji Omura), an alliance that was greatly important to the Meiji Restoration. 
While Saionji’s time as a child cemented his importance in Japan’s future political sphere, his time abroad indeed turned him into the man he would become. In 1870, Saionji was instructed by his father to travel overseas, an idea that Saionji himself also desired. During those almost ten years, from 1871 to 1880, Saionji lived in Paris, France, under the commoner-like name of Boichiro. Unlike future similar experiences done by high-ranking Japanese people, Saionji lived a very simple life; however, this did not stop him from meeting many influential people in France, such as Georges Clemenceau, a French politician. Saionji also traveled to San Francisco, New York, and London, and during his time in America, he met with President Ulysses S. Grant. Saionji’s time abroad, specifically his time studying in France, cemented his mindset of a moderate liberal approach to Japanese politics despite the national pressure to the contrary. (Section 1)
Saionji’s political career did not stop as he aged. It could be argued that his political power only increased after he retired as prime minister. The most important event was that he was appointed Genro in 1912 at the age of 63. During this time, Saionji withdrew from actively participating in politics. However, he would still receive visitors asking for his opinions and guidance fairly often. (Bunji Omura) One thing Saionji did personally was write a proposal for the League of Nations titled the racial equality proposal to the League of Nations in 1919, which was seen as radical to the point of unacceptability by the League with America heading the sentiment. With a vote of five for and six against, the proposal was ultimately rejected. (Osborne)




Bunji Omura. Japans Grand Old Man. 1938.
Genro | Japanese Oligarchy | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/genro. Accessed 22 June 2023.
Osborne, Sidney. The New Japanese Peril. New York : The Macmillan company, 1921. 
Section 1: SAIONJI Kimmochi - Paris in His Youth. National Diet Library, https://www.ndl.go.jp/france/en/column/s1_1.html. Accessed 21 June 2023

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