Okubo Toshimichi

1830〜1878
He was a politician born in Kagoshima. He was a key figure in anti-Shogunate movement and regarded as one of the three major heroes of the Meiji Restoration with Takamori Saigo (西隆隆盛) and Takayoshi Kido (木戸孝允). After the Restoration, he assumed the post of Minister of Finance. Then he became the Minister of Home Affairs. He played a leading role in the government, but he was assassinated by the former samurai.