Yoshida Kiyonari
# Yoshida Kiyonari

Yoshida Kiyonari (Japanese: 吉田 清成; died 3 August 1891) was a Japanese samurai and diplomatic envoy to the United States.

## Early life and education

In 1865, Yoshida was sent with Sameshima Naonobu and seventeen other samurai from Satsuma Domain to England to study Western science and $technology.^{:79}$ During 1867, Yoshida and Sameshima travelled with two others to the United States and joined the Brotherhood of the New Life, Thomas Lake Harris's Christian spiritual $group.^{:80}$ When they returned to England later that year, they claimed to have felt the presence of God through Harris' preaching in New $York.^{:79}$

Yoshida studied at University College $London.^{:60}$ He enrolled at New Jersey's Rutgers College in September 1868, but left after a few $months.^{:142}$ The following July, he registered at Wilbraham Academy (now Monson Academy) in Massachusetts and studied political $economy.^{:142}$

After graduating, he spent time in New York and Hartford, where he gained experience in $banking.^{:142}$

## Career

He returned to Japan in $1870,^{:142}$ and joined the Finance $Ministry.^{:60}$ He quickly became deputy junior minister, then head of the Tax Bureau, and finally deputy Vice Minister by November $1871.^{:142}$ While working there, he secured a loan for Japan from the United States and Europe in $1871.^{:60}$

He transferred to the Foreign $Ministry,^{:60}$ and in January 1874 he was appointed "extraordinary envoy and plenipotentiary minister" to the United $States.^{:142}$ In 1879, he arranged the visit of Ulysses S. Grant and his wife Julia Grant to Japan, and secured the return of funds from the United States $Congress.^{:60}$ He stayed in the position of envoy until 1882.

In July 1884, he became Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, but fell out with Minister Inoue $Kaoru.^{:142–3}$ He was made Vice Minister of Agriculture and Commerce in September $1885.^{:143}$

He was made an honorary member of the Genrōin in 1887, and awarded the title of $viscount.^{:143}$

## Personal life

He became friends with the historian Henry Adams, with whom he shared an interest in archaic law.

He died after a period of illness of 3 August $1891.^{:143}$

