OKUMA (SHIGENOBU), MARQUIS Japa nese statesman, was born in the province of Hizen in 1838. His father was an officer in the artillery. He was able to acquire in his youth a knowledge of English and Dutch, and by the help of missionaries he obtained books in those languages on scientific and political subjects. These works effected a complete revolu tion in his mind. He had been designed by his parents for the military profession, but he was determined to devote his energies to the abolition of the existing feudal system and to the estab lishment of a constitutional government. Though he took no active part in the revolution of 1868, the weight of his opinions was felt in the struggle. Already he was recognized as a coming man and no sooner was the government reorganized, with the mikado as the sole wielder of power, than he was appointed chief assistant in the department of foreign affairs. In 1869 he suc ceeded to the post of secretary of the joint departments of the interior and of finance, and for the next fourteen years he devoted himself to politics. In 1870 he was made a councillor of state, and a few months later became president of the commission which represented the Japanese government at the Vienna Exhibition.
In 1872 he was again minister of finance, and was president of the commission appointed to supervise the Formosa campaign of The Japanese nation had supported him up to a certain point, but opinion now turned against him. When Okuma resigned office in the early 'eighties he established the Semmon Gakko, or school for special studies, and subsequently other schools.
In 1896-97 he was a member of the Matsukata cabinet. An attempted assassination by bomb necessitated the amputation of one of his legs. On Ito's retirement in 1898 he took office as premier and minister of foreign affairs. He resigned after a few months and retired into private life, cultivating his beautiful garden at Waseda near Tokyo. He emerged from his retirement in 1914 to become prime minister, in which capacity he guided the country through the opening months of the World War. In 1916, Count Okuma retired from office owing to his failing health. In the same year he was raised to a marquessate. He died at Tokyo on Jan. Io, 1922.