Ijūin Hikokichi


Ijūin Hikokichi was a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Japanese Ambassador to Peking.

Career

Ijūin was appointed consul at Chefoo in China in 1893. He served again in China as Consul General at Tientsin from 1901 to 1907. He was appointed Ambassador to Pekin in 1908. On 4 September 1909, he signed the Japan-China Agreement concerning Kando as the Japanese Ambassador to the Ching Empire in Pekin. During the Chinese Revolution broke out in October 1911, together with then Foreign Minister Uchida Yasuya, he argued for the provision of support to the Ching government during the 1911 Chinese Revolution. His term as Ambassador to China lasted until 1913.
Then, he was appointed the Japanese Ambassador to Italy in 1916 and in office until 1920. During his tenure, he was one of the leading members of Japanese delegation at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. Ijūin is described as a conservative ambassador.
, Japanese Ambassador to France; Seated - Baron Makino Nobuaki, former Foreign Minister; Marquis Saionji Kinmochi, former Prime Minister; and Viscount Chinda Sutemi, Japanese Ambassador to Great Britain.
On the other hand, then Prime Minister Hara Takashi wanted Ijūin to search for European institutions of public information when the latter 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 army, navy and finance ministry. Eventually, a public information office in the ministry of foreign affairs was established on 13 August 1921, and Ijūin was appointed its head. Then he served as Governor-General of Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China for one year. He was appointed on 8 September 1922, replacing Isaburō Yamagata as the Governor-General. Ijūin was in office until 19 September 1923.
Then he was appointed Foreign Minister on 19 September 1923 to the second cabinet of Yamamoto Gombee, replacing him who also assumed the role of foreign minister briefly from 2 to 19 September. Ijūin was replaced by Keishirō Matsui on 7 January 1924 when a new cabinet was formed by Kiyoura Keigo.

Personal life

Ijūin was married to Ōkubo Toshimichi's daughter, Yoshiko. Thus he was the brother-in-law of Makino Nobuaki.

Death

Shortly after his removal from the office, Ijūin died of neuralgia in Tokyo in April 1924.