Background
Masami Oishi was born on the 26th of May, 1855 in Kochi, Japan.
Masami Oishi was born on the 26th of May, 1855 in Kochi, Japan.
Masami Oishi joined the Risshisha political group led by Taisuke Itagaki (1874). When the Jiyuto (Liberal) Party was organized (1881), he became one of its leaders. The following year, when Itagaki, president of the Jiyuto Party, planned to visit the United States and Europe with Shojiro Goto, he opposed the plan and left the party.
He organized the Kokuyukai Party together with Tatsui Baba and Shigeyasu Suehiro. In 1885, he succeeded in amalgamating the Mitsubishi Steamship and Kyodo Transportation companies. He launched with Shojiro Goto the Daido Danlcetsu (people's unity) movement (1887), against the government which was dominated by former influential feudal clans. Masami Oishi started the journal Seiron to back up the movement. He went to Korea as Minister Resident (1893) and negotiated successfully with the Korean Government on the Korean ban on exports of grains to Japan.
After leaving the government service he joined the Shimpoto (Progressive) Party and was appointed Agriculture and Commerce Minister in the Kenseito Cabinet (1897). He later became a leader of the Kokuminto Party headed by Tsuyoshi Inukai and participated in Taro Katsura's Rikken Doshikai Party (1913). Was elected to the House of Representatives six times. Retired from the political circles (1915).
He always stood for party government and positive foreign policy.
