Itō Hirobumi

Itō Hirobumi in 1903

Duke Itō Hirobumi (伊藤 博文, 16 October 1841 – 26 October 1909, born as Hayashi Risuke and also known as Hirofumi, Hakubun and briefly during his youth as Itō Shunsuke) was a Japanese politician and the first Prime Minister of Japan. He was also a preeminent member of the genrō, a group of senior statesmen that ruled Japan during the Meiji Era.

Quotes

• 国の安危存亡に関係する外交を軽々しく論じ去つて、何でも意の如く出来るが如くに思ふのは、多くは実験のない人の空論である。
  • Superficially speaking on the diplomacy related with the life an death of your own nation and considering that you can do anything as you like is mere void logic of inexperienced people.

• Even if you succeed in study and business, if your nation collapses, then what good is it for?