Iwamura Michitoshi

In this Japanese name, the surname is Iwamura.

Baron Iwamura Michitoshi
岩村 通俊
Baron Iwamura Michitoshi
Minister of Agriculture and Commerce
In office 23 December 1889 – 17 May 1890
Prime Minister	Yamagata Aritomo
Preceded by	Inoue Kaoru
Succeeded by	Mutsu Munemitsu
Member of the House of Peers
In office 29 September 1890 – 20 February 1915
Member of the Genrōin
In office 14 June 1888 – 20 October 1890
In office 28 June 1880 – 21 October 1881
President of the Board of Audit
In office 21 October 1881 – 7 May 1884
Preceded by	Yamaguchi Masuka
Succeeded by	Noboru Watanabe
Gubernatorial offices Governor of Hokkaido Prefecture In office 26 January 1886 – 15 June 1888 Monarch Meiji Preceded by Office established Succeeded by Nagayama Takeshirō Governor of Okinawa Prefecture In office 22 April 1883 – 21 December 1883 Monarch Meiji Preceded by Uesugi Mochinori Succeeded by Nishimura Sutezō Governor of Kagoshima Prefecture In office 21 March 1877 – 28 June 1880 Monarch Meiji Preceded by Ōyama Tsunayoshi Succeeded by Chiaki Watanabe Governor of Saga Prefecture In office 22 July 1873 – 28 January 1874 Monarch Meiji Preceded by Ishii Kunimichi Succeeded by Takatoshi Iwamura
Personal details
Born	(1840-07-08)8 July 1840 Tosa Province, Japan
Died	20 February 1915(1915-02-20) (aged 74) Tokyo, Japan
Resting place	Yanaka Cemetery

Baron Iwamura Michitoshi (岩村 通俊; 8 July 1840 – 20 February 1915) was a Japanese statesman, active in Meiji period Japan. He was the first Director of the Hokkaidō Agency from 26 January 1886 through 15 June 1888.

Biography

Iwamura was born in Kōchi as the eldest son to a samurai family serving the Tosa Domain. He studied swordsmanship under Okada Izō. During the Boshin War of the Meiji Restoration, he fought under the imperial banner, in the Battle of Hokuetsu in 1868-1869.

In July 1874, Iwamura was appointed governor of Saga Prefecture. Coming shortly after the Saga Rebellion, this was regarded as a hardship posting. In 1876, he was reported to the Yamaguchi Prefecture regional office, where he coordinated central government preparations in the Satsuma Rebellion. He was appointed governor of Kagoshima Prefecture, in which capacity he supervised the funeral ceremonies for Saigō Takamori. As a reward for his services, he returned to Tokyo as a member of the Genrōin and Chairman of the Board of Audit. From April to December 1883, he served as the 3rd Governor of Okinawa Prefecture.

After serving in Okinawa for two years, Iwamura was reassigned to the other end of Japan, serving as first Director of the Hokkaidō Agency from 26 January 1886 through 15 June 1888. During his time in Hokkaidō, he supervised the completion of the Hokkaidō Agency HQ in Sapporo, and strongly promoted the development of Asahikawa. He then returned to Tokyo, where he held the post of chairman of the Genrōin from 14 June 1888 to 20 October 1890. He was selected to serve as Minister of Agriculture and Commerce under the 1st Yamagata administration from 24 December 1889 to 17 May 1890.

On 5 June 1896, Iwamura was awarded the title of viscount (shishaku) under the kazoku peerage system, and received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure later the same year. He served as an advisor to Emperor Meiji, and was appointed to a seat in the House of Peers. He was also awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, 1st class on 23 June 1904. He died in Tokyo on 12 February 1915, and his grave is at the Yanaka Cemetery in Tokyo.

References

• Weiner, Michael (2004). Race, Ethnicity and Migration in Modern Japan. (London: Routledge), p. 231.
• Sims, Richard (2001). Japanese Political History Since the Meiji Renovation 1868-2000. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 0-312-23915-7.

Political offices
Preceded by Uesugi Mochinori	Governor of Okinawa Apr 1883 – Dec 1883	Succeeded by Nishimura Sutezō
Preceded by none	Director of Hokkaidō Agency Jan 1886 – Jun 1888	Succeeded by Nagayama Takeshirō
Preceded by Inoue Kaoru	Minister of Agriculture and Commerce Dec 1889 – May 1890	Succeeded by Mutsu Munemitsu