Saionji Kinmochi

Saionji Kinmochi was born in Kyoto as the son of Tokudaiji Kin'ito, a court noble. He was adopted by the Saionji family, another noble clan, in 1851. He was a childhood friend of the young prince who later became Emperor Meiji. He studied in Paris, France, where he was exposed to Western ideas and culture. He returned to Japan in 1881 and founded a newspaper to promote democratic ideas. He joined the government service and became one of the leaders of the Rikken Seiyūkai, the major political party at that time. He served as Prime Minister of Japan twice, from 1906 to 1908 and from 1911 to 1912. He tried to reduce military spending and increase party control of the cabinet. He retired from active politics in 1912, but remained an influential figure as a genrō, an elder statesman who advised the emperor. He was the head of Japan's delegation at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, where he advocated for racial equality and opposed imperialism. He was the last surviving member of the genrō and the most senior adviser of Emperor Hirohito. He opposed Japan's invasion of China and its alliance with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. He died in 1940 at the age of 90.