Ijūin Hikokichi

Career

Ijūin's diplomatic career began with his appointment as consul at Yantai in China in 1893. He later served as consul general at Tianjin from 1901 to 1907, then became ambassador to Beijing in 1908. On 4 September 1909, as Japanese ambassador to the Qing dynasty, he signed the Japan–China Agreement concerning Kando in Beijing. During the 1911 Revolution, which broke out in October 1911, he and then Foreign Minister Uchida Yasuya argued for providing support to the Qing government. His term as ambassador to China lasted until 1913. He was then appointed Japanese ambassador to Italy in 1916, serving until 1920, and during that tenure was a leading member of the Japanese delegation at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. Ijūin is described as a conservative ambassador. Prime Minister Hara Takashi wanted Ijūin to search for European institutions of public information while he was ambassador and a Versailles delegate. Ijūin reported that the best way to create an influential information bureau was to coordinate all information sources, including the army, navy, and finance ministry. On 13 August 1921, a public information office, Gaimu-shō Jōhō-bu, was established in the ministry of foreign affairs, and Ijūin was appointed its head. He then served as governor-general of Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China for one year, appointed on 8 September 1922 to replace Isaburō Yamagata, and left office on 19 September 1923. On that same day, he was appointed minister of foreign affairs in the second cabinet of Yamamoto Gombee, replacing Yamamoto who had briefly held the post from 2 to 19 September. Ijūin was succeeded by Keishirō Matsui on 7 January 1924 when a new cabinet was formed by Kiyoura Keigo.