Mutsu Hirokichi, the son of Mutsu Munemitsu, was the First Secretary of the Japanese Legation, Washington. Mutsu's study abroad began in 1886. He sojourned in England for seven years, until he received the degree of Barrister from Temple College, London, in 1893. He
returned home, and, in August of the following year, was appointed a
translator in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Tokyo. Soon, however,
his service was called for by the more important diplomatic relations
created by the Sino-Japanese War. Mutsu was ordered by the
same department to accompany Ito Hirobumi on his peace-making mission
to Shimonoseki. After the conclusion of the treaty which restored peace
in the Far East, Mutsu remained for some time with Ito,
whom he served in a capacity similar to that of secretary.
In October, 1895, Mutsu passed the examinations prescribed for a consul by the Foreign Department of the Japanese Government, and was soon dispatched to China and attached to Hayashi Tadasu's diplomatic mission at the Peking court. He was there raised to the rank of third secretary.
Mutsu served at Washington during Minister Hoshi's time. He returned home in 1897. In the subsequent year his appointment for the American mission was renewed. He was sent as consul to San Francisco, and continued in that capacity for about three years.
In 1900 the Count returned to Japan, and the following year he was dispatched to the Japanese Legation at Rome, Italy. He served there as second secretary.
In the summer of the same year he was again attached to the legation at Washington and raised to the rank of first secretary.
In 1905, he married Gertrude Ethel Passington, whom he met at the Japanese embassy in London.
References
- Prominent Americans interested in Japan and prominent Japanese in America, New York, 1903 (Public Domain source)
- Who's Who in Kamakura