Yamagata
ARITOMO, PRINCE, a Japanese military officer; born in the province of Choshu in 1838. He took an active part in the revolution of 1868, and under the new government won promotion in both military and official life.
In 1869 he was sent to Europe to study French and Russian military institutions. He took a prominent part in the Satsuma rebellion in 1877; was put in command of the imperial guard; became head of the general staff; and was prime minister from 1889 to 1891 when he became minister of justice. He commanded the 1st Army Corps in the war with China in 1894, and for his success in expelling the Chinese from Korea was made a marquis. In 1896 he was a guest of the Russian court at the coronation of the czar, and visited the United States on his return. He was a man of progressive ideas and was energetic in the reorganization of the Japanese army ac- YANKTON cording to European models. In 1907 he was made a prince.