Matsukata Masayoshi

Member of the Privy CouncilIn office
13 July 1903 – 2 May 1917MonarchsMeiji
TaishōMember of the House of PeersIn office
21 September 1907 – 3 July 1924 In office
10 July 1890 – 9 July 1897 Governor of In office
1868–1870MonarchMeijiPreceded byOffice establishedSucceeded byPersonal detailsBorn(1835-02-25)25 February 1835
Died2 July 1924(1924-07-02) (aged 89)
PartyIndependentSpouseChildren24, including KōjirōRelativesHaru M. Reischauer (granddaughter)SignatureJapanese nameKanji松方 正義Hiraganaまつかた まさよし

PrinceMatsukata Masayoshi (松方 正義; 25 February 1835 – 2 July 1924) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1891 to 1892, and from 1896 to 1898. Born in the Satsuma Domain to a samurai family, Matsukata served as finance minister for 15 of the 20 years between 1881 and 1901, led the creation of the Bank of Japan in 1882, and had significant influence in the financial and economic articles of the Meiji Constitution of 1889. He became a genrō, or senior statesman who dictated policy in the later Meiji era, and was given the title of prince in 1922.