Miura Gorō

Viscount was a prominent samurai, and a lieutenant general in the early Imperial Japanese Army; he is notable for orchestrating the murder of Queen Min of Korea in 1895.

Biography Miura was born in Hagi in Chōshū Domain (modern Yamaguchi Prefecture), to a samurai family with the name of Andō, but was adopted by the Miura that was the family name of his father-in-law. After studying at the Meirinkan clan military academy, he entered the Kiheitai irregular militia of the Chōshū domain and played an active role in the Boshin War to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate. He fought at the Battle of Hokuetsu.

In 1882, Miura was appointed commander of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy. Miura and cohorts emerged from trial as national heroes.

Later, after the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty in 1910, Miura became a privy council member and focused on eliminating vestiges of the clan-based factionalism from politics, gaining a reputation as an Éminence grise for fixing issues "behind-the-scenes".

On his death of uremia in 1926, he was posthumously awarded the Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers.

Popular culture

Portrayed by Kim Eung-soo in the 2012 film Gabi.

Awards and decorations

Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers (posthumously conferred) Order of the Rising Sun, 1st class Order of the Sacred Treasure, 1st class Order of the Crown of Italy Order of St. Anna, 1st class Order of the Crown Commandeur de la Légion d'Honneur Order of Franz Joseph