KATO, (1859-1926), Japanese statesman, was born at Nagoya, and commenced life as an employee in the great firm of Mitsu Bishi. In 1887 he became private secretary to Marquis Okuma, minister of state for foreign affairs. Subse quently he served as director of a bureau in the finance depart ment, and from 1894 to 1899 he represented his country at the court of St. James. He received the portfolio of foreign affairs in the fourth Ito Cabinet (19oo-1901), which remained in office only a few months. Appointed again to the same position in the Saionji cabinet (1906), he resigned after a brief interval, being opposed to the nationalization of the private railways, which measure the Cabinet approved. He then remained without office until 1908, when he again accepted the post of ambassador in London. He was decorated with the grand cross of St. Michael and St. George, and earned the reputation of being one of the strongest men among the junior statesmen. He was Japanese minister in London from 1894 to 1899, and ambassador from 1908 to 1913. Returning to Japan, he joined Prince Katsura's third Cabinet as foreign minister for the third time but resigned soon after. He then reorganized the Doshikai, created by Katsura,
and renamed it the Kenseikai or Constitutionalist party, of which he became president in 1913 (see JAPAN).
In April 1914 he joined the Okuma Cabinet as foreign minis ter, resigning in 1915. It was during his incumbency that Japan sent the so-called 21 demands to China. In Aug. 1915 he was elected a crown member of the house of peers and in the follow ing year was created a viscount. The following decade proved a quiet period for Kato, but in June 1924 he became premier of the Coalition Cabinet of the Kenseikai, the Seiyukai and the Kakushin Club. His administration was made historic by the passage of the universal manhood suffrage law. Owing to dis sensions among members of the Cabinet, Kato reorganized his Ministry on Aug. I, 1925, forming it exclusively with members of the Kenseikai party. On Jan. 28, 1926, he died in Tokyo while in office.