Nakajima Nobuyuki (中島信行)
Nobuyuki NAKAJIMA (October 5, 1846 - March 26, 1899) was the statesman, the first chairman of House of Representatives and baron in the Meiji period. He took the name of Sakutaro NAKAJIMA in the end of Edo period. His first wife was Hatsuho (died in 1877) who was the younger sister of Munemitsu MUTSU and the second was Toshiko KISHIDA who was known for the activist for women's liberation movement.
Brief Personal History
He was the first son of Izo NAKAJIMA who was the goshi (country samurai) in Tsukaji village, Takaoka County, Tosa Province (now, Tsukaji, Tosa City, Kochi Prefecture). He attended Koyo-jyuku in his childhood. He was the feudal retainer of Tosa Province (he left later) and was active in Tosa kinnoto (loyalist clique of Tosa) led by Hanpeita TAKECHI as well as Kaientai (Japan's first modern corporation established by Ryoma SAKAMOTO) (Roshi association) by Ryoma SAKAMOTO in the end of Edo period. After the death of Ryoma SAKAMOTO, he participated in Rikuentai (an association of roshi organized by Shintaro NAKAOKA). Though he had became the government official and was promoted up to Genroin gikan (councilor of Chamber of Elders or Senate) after Meiji Restoration, he took part in forming Liberal Party (Japan) and became vice president. Though he lived in Yokohama City after he was expelled from Tokyo due to hoan jorei (regulations for the preservation of law and order), he became The House of Representatives elected in the first general election of members of the House of Representatives in Diet and was selected for the House of Peers (Japan) in 1894.