Hirabumi Ito

Hirabumi Ito (1841 - 1909), of the Satsuma Clan, was the first Prime Minister of Japan, serving four terms, and led the creation of the Japanese Constitution. He also chaired the Privy Council (Japan) and was President of the House of Peers.

Under the Tokugawa Shogunate, he joined the shishi movement that led to the Meiji Restoration.

In 1871, he joined the Iwakura Tomomi mission, studying the United States and meeting with President Ulysses S. Grant, as vice-envoy extraordinary. He traveled to Europe in 1882 to study constitutions, especially that of Prussia.

During the Tomomi Mission, he became close to Toshimichi Okubo, who was home minister, the most powerful position in the government. After Okubo was assassinated in 1878, Ito took over that post.

He became the first Prime Minister in 1885.

The first resident general of Korea, in 1909, he was assassinated by a Korean independence movement activist, An Chung-gun, at Harbin Station.