Career
Had to flee to Hokkaido together with Takeaki Enomoto after they were defeated during the Meiji Restoration civil war (1868). The following year was commander of Kaitcn Maru. After the Meiji Restoration was complete he became a naval cadet (1871) and rose to become vice-admiral (1905). Was an authority on salvaging sunken vessels, and it was mainly due to his efforts that the Japanese were able to salvage and refloat the Russian vessels that were sunk at Inchon and Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05). He was the first to navigate a warship through Kammon Kaikyo (the strait between Shimonoseki and Moji).
