Background
Oki Enkichi was born on September 19, 1871, in Saga Prefecture. His father, Oki Takato was one of the leaders in the Meiji Restoration, and served in numerous cabinet posts in the early Meiji government.
Oki Enkichi was born on September 19, 1871, in Saga Prefecture. His father, Oki Takato was one of the leaders in the Meiji Restoration, and served in numerous cabinet posts in the early Meiji government.
He was privately educated because of poor health.
In 1899, Enkichi succeeded to his father’s title of count (hakushaku) under the kazoku peerage system. His political career began in 1908, when Enkichi Oki was elected to the House of Peers. He initially supported the Kenkyukai, but soon switched his allegiance to the Rikken Seiyukai. He was appointed Justice Minister under the cabinet of Prime Minister Hara, a post which he also held under the succeeding Takahashi administration. In 1923, he cooperated with Home Minister Tokonami Takejiro to introduce tightened anti-subversive legislature in response to increasing leftist agitation in the labor disputes, and the public emergence of the Japan Communist Party. Oki was subsequently Railroad Minister under the Kato and Kiyoura administrations.