Background
Kentarō Kaneko was born on 4 February 1853 in the domain of Fukuoka in Kyushu.
金子 堅太郎
Kentarō Kaneko was born on 4 February 1853 in the domain of Fukuoka in Kyushu.
On the order of Kuroda Nagatomo, lord of the domain, he went to lokyo in 1870 for the purpose of study. In 1871 he accompanied his lord on a visit to America, where he entered Harvard University and devoted himself to law, politics, and economics. Having graduated from Harvard in 1878, he returned to Japan and became a lecturer in Tokyo University Preparatory School.
In 1899 he received an honorary degree of Doctor of Law from Harvard University
In 1880 he became an acting secretary in the Genroin and devoted himself to constitutional studies. At this time he became acquainted with Ono Azusa and others and took part in deliberations as to what type of constitution would be most suitable for Japan. After serving as a major secretary, he in 1884 became a member of the bureau for the investigation of institutional matters, in 1885 private secretary to the prime minister, in 1886 a lecturer at Tokyo Imperial University, in 1888 private secretary to the head of the Privy Council, and in 1890 a member and secretary of the Upper House of the Diet. In 1894 he became vice-minister of agriculture and commerce and in 1898 minister of justice in the second Ito Hirobumi cabinet.
He also headed offices that were set up for the compiling of historical materials on the imperial household and the Meiji Restoration.
In addition to these activities, he traveled widely, questioning various countries concerning their opinion of the Meiji Constitution, and attended the Conference on International Law in Switzerland.
As a statesman, he was highly trained in the principles of modern law, but his more important activities took place less often on the political stage than behind the scenes, which is where he seems to have operated most effectively.
He held the title of count.