Itagaki Taisuke

• Born: 1837
• Died: 1919
• Other Name: Inui Taisuke
• Japanese: 板垣 退助 (Itagaki Taisuke)

A high ranking samurai from Tosa, Itagaki was responsible for reorganizing Tosa's forces prior to the outbreak of the Boshin War where he played a major role in leading the campaigns against the Tokugawa forces. After the Restoration, he played key roles in both the Tosa and national governments. He resigned from the Meiji government in protest of the decision not to go to war with Korea, but subsequently returned to government and held various cabinet posts until his retirement in 1900.

References

• Hillsborough, Romulus. RYOMA- Life of a Renaissance Samurai. Ridgeback Press, 1999
• Jansen, Marius B. Sakamoto Ryoma and the Meiji Restoration. Columbia University Press, 1994.