Background
Yasushi Nomura was born on the 10th of September, 1842 as the second son of a low-ranked ashigaru samurai in Hagi, Choshu Domain, (currently Yamaguchi Prefecture).
Yasushi Nomura was born on the 10th of September, 1842 as the second son of a low-ranked ashigaru samurai in Hagi, Choshu Domain, (currently Yamaguchi Prefecture).
As a youth, Nomura Yasushi studied at Yoshida Shoin's Shokansonjuku academy, where he joined the Sonno jōi movement against the Tokugawa shogunate and the increasing foreign presence in Japan.
After the Meiji Restoration (1868), Nomura Yasushi went to Tokyo and entered into service of the new Meiji government, and was selected as a member of the 1871 Iwakura Mission, visiting the United States, Great Britain and other European countries. After his return to Japan, he was appointed governor of Kanagawa Prefecture, where he was praised for his efforts in reducing government spending. He was ennobled with the kazoku peerage title of shishaku (viscount) in 1887. In 1888, he was made a member of the Privy Council and in 1891 served as Japanese ambassador to France.
Yasushi Nomura was selected to become Home Minister in the cabinet of the 2nd administration of Prime Minister Itщ Hirobumi in 1894. During his tenure, the three Tama districts, formerly part of Kanagawa Prefecture, were annexed to Tokyo Prefecture. Nomura returned to the cabinet as Minister of Communications in 1896 under the 2nd Matsukata administration, during which time he attempted to stem the influence of the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, which had been strongly favored by Maejima Hisoka, over control of Japanese shipping.