Saionji Kinmochi

Japan's last genrō who shaped modern constitutional monarchy

Prince Saionji Kinmochi (1849-1940) played a pivotal role in transforming feudal Japan into a modern constitutional state. As the last genrō (elder statesman), he mediated between the Emperor and political factions during Japan's tumultuous transition to parliamentary democracy.

Educated in France during the Bakumatsu period, Saionji became a key architect of the Meiji Constitution. He founded the prestigious Ritsumeikan University and served as Prime Minister twice (1906-1908, 1911-1912). His greatest achievement was preserving constitutional governance against military expansionism in the 1930s, famously resisting the Manchuria Incident proponents.

Saionji's diplomatic finesse helped Japan navigate unequal treaties with Western powers while maintaining Asian sovereignty. His controversial decision to accept the Washington Naval Treaty (1922) delayed Pacific War escalation. The Imperial Household Law revisions he championed still shape Japan's monarchy today.