GOTO, SHIMPEI, VlscouNT (1856-1929), Japanese poli tician, was born in Iwate-Ken and studied medicine in Germany. As the first civil administrator of Taiwan (Formosa) under Gen. Kodama in 1898, and as the first president of the South Man churia railway in 1906, he laid the groundwork of Japan's colonial enterprises. He was Minister of Communications in 1908 and 1912; of Home Affairs in 1916; Foreign Affairs in 1918 ; and mayor of Tokyo (1921-2 ). He exchanged conversations with M. Joffe regarding the reopening of Russo-Japanese relations upon his own initiative and personal responsibility in 1922. After the great Japanese earthquake in 1923 he became again Minister of Home Affairs. He died at Kyoto on April 13, 1929.