1898 in Japan

Incumbents

• Emperor: Emperor Meiji
• Prime Minister:
• *Matsukata Masayoshi: until January 12:
• *Itō Hirobumi: January 12 - June 30
• *Ōkuma Shigenobu: June 30 - November 8
• *Yamagata Aritomo: starting November 8

  Events

• January 12 - Ito Hirobumi begins his third term as Prime Minister.
• March 15 - March 1898 Japanese general election
• August 10 - September 1898 Japanese general election
• The first automobile is introduced in Japan.

  Births

• February 4 - Shinsui Itō, Nihonga painter
• February 9 - Jūkichi Yagi, poet
• February 15 - Masuji Ibuse, author
• March 17 - Riichi Yokomitsu, writer
• April 29 - Iwao Yamawaki, photographer
• October 5 - Kenzō Masaoka, anime creator
• October 17 - Shinichi Suzuki, violinist,
• October 31 - Yoshitoshi Mori, artist
• December 12 - Denji Kuroshima, author
• December 27 - Inejiro Asanuma, politician, leader of the Japan Socialist Party

  Deaths

• November 12 - Nakahama Manjirō, translator and castaway