Background
Tōru Hoshi was born in 1850. He was born in Edo, the son of a poor craftsman. When his mother remarried, he became the stepson of a physician named Hoshi Taijun.
星 亨
Tōru Hoshi was born in 1850. He was born in Edo, the son of a poor craftsman. When his mother remarried, he became the stepson of a physician named Hoshi Taijun.
For a time he was adopted into another family and studied English at the school for Western studies operated by the shogunate in Edo. Later, however, he returned to the Hoshi family. After the Meiji Restoration, he went to Osaka, where he taught in an English language school. One of those receiving instruction in English from him happened to be the future statesman Mutsu Munemitsu, and the two became close friends. In 1870 he taught at the school for Western studies in the domain of Obama, and in 1872 became a translation official in the government of Kanagawa Prefecture, of which Mutsu Munemitsu was governor. On this and many subsequent occasions, Hoshi benefited from the assistance of his friend Mutsu.
While retaining his status as a government official, he went to England for further education, studying law for three years in the Middle Temple and receiving the degree of barrister. After his return to Japan he became a lawyer in the Ministry of Justice.
In 1874 he became customs director of Yokohama.
In 1889 he was accused of violating the Peace Preservation Regulations and was forced to leave the capital area and the following year was imprisoned for violating the regulations against secret publications. He was released as a result of the general amnesty proclaimed at the time of the promulgation of the Meiji Constitution and journeyed abroad.
After his return to Japan he was elected to the Lower House of the Diet in 1892 and later became speaker of the house, but was forced out of office by the schemes of his political enemies. He stood for election once more, however, and was reelected. After the Sino-Japanese War, he went to Korea for a time, acting as a legal advisor in connection with reforms in the internal administration of the country, but he did not achieve any outstanding success in this role. In 1896 he became an envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to America, playing a distinctive part in dealing with problems concerning Japanese immigration to America that arose with the American annexation of Hawaii.
In 1898, when the Jiyu and Shimpo combined to form the Kenseitb and the first party cabinet was formed, he hastened back to Japan. He later cooperated with Ito Hirobumi in the founding of the Rikken Seiyukai, and in 1900 became minister of communications in the fourth Ito cabinet. He proceeded to extend his influence by becoming a member of the Tokyo city council, but his stubborn attitude made him many enemies, and he was also implicated in charges of bribe-taking that were brought against members of the council. In 1901 he was assassinated by Iba Sotaro, a sword instructor who was active in Tokyo educational affairs and was outraged at Hoshi’s conduct.
He joined the popular rights movement and began to make a name for himself as a skilled debater. Having joined the Jiyu to (Liberal Party), he was soon playing a leading role in its attacks upon its opponent, the Rikken Kaishinto (Progressive Party). He also took part in the management of the Jiyu. Shimbun, the newspaper that disseminated the party’s views, and was active in the movement to oppose the government. While on a speaking tour in the Niigata region in 1884, however, he was accused of insulting an official of Niigata Prefecture and charges were brought against him. He joined with Kataoka Kenkichi and other leaders of the popular rights movement in laying plans to petition the government for freedom of speech, reduction of land taxes, and changes in foreign policy, a plan that was carried out in 1887.