Soejima Taneomi

Count was a Japanese diplomat and politician active during the early Meiji period.

Life and career Soejima was born into a samurai family in Saga, in Hizen Province (present-day Saga Prefecture). His father was a teacher in the domain's school and a scholar of National Learning (kokugaku). In 1866, Soejima was sent to Nagasaki by the domain leaders to study the English language. There he studied under Guido Verbeck, a Dutch missionary, giving special attention to the United States Constitution and the New Testament. During the Boshin War he was a military leader of the Saga forces committed to the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate.

After the Meiji Restoration, Soejima became a junior councilor (san'yo) and assisted Fukuoka Takachika in drafting the structure of the provisional Meiji government in 1868. While most of Japan's government was on its around-the-world tour of the United States and Europe on the Iwakura Mission, Soejima served as interim Foreign Minister. During his term he was faced with the difficult issue of the Maria Luz Incident, involving the questions of extraterritoriality and the unequal treaties in a case involving the mistreatment of Chinese indentured laborers on a Peruvian ship. Soejima was praised by the Chinese government over his handling of the affair.

In 1871, he was sent to Siberia to adjust boundary questions relating to the island of Sakhalin.

Soejima returned to government service in 1878, serving in the Imperial Household Agency. In 1888 he was appointed to the Privy Council, and became its vice chairman in 1891. In 1892, he was called upon to become Home Minister in the First Matsukata Cabinet.