Aoki Shūzō: Difference between revisions

Aoki returned to [[Empire of Japan|Japan]] after the [[Meiji Restoration]], and entered the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan)|Foreign Ministry]] of the new [[Meiji government]] in 1873, as First Secretary to the Japanese legations to [[German Empire|Germany]], [[Netherlands]] and [[Austria-Hungary Empire|Austria-Hungary]]. He then served as Vice Foreign Minister in the first [[Itō Hirobumi|Itō administration]] and [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Japan)|Foreign Minister]] in the first [[Yamagata Aritomo|Yamagata administration]].

 

While Foreign Minister, he strove for the revision the [[unequal treaties]] between the Empire of Japan and the various European powers, particularly the [[extraterritoriality]] clauses, and expressed concern over the eastern expansion of the [[Russian Empire]] into [[east Asia]]. Aoki was forced to resign as a consequence of the [[Ōtsu Incident]] of 1891, but resumed his post as Foreign Minister under the [[Matsukata Masayoshi|Matsukata]] administration.

 

In 1894, as [[ambassador]] to [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|Great Britain]], Aoki worked with Foreign Minister [[Mutsu Munemitsu]] towards the revision of the unequal treaties, successfully concluding the [[Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation]] for Japan in [[London]] on 16 July 1894.

 

Returned to his post as Foreign Minister under the second Yamagata administration, Aoki helped Japan gain recognition as one of the [[Great Powers]] by its military support of the European forces during the [[Boxer Rebellion]].