Oyama Iwao

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Image:Iwao Oyama.jpg Oyama Iwao (大山　巌 Ooyama Iwao) (born 10 October 1842 - 10 December 1916) was a Japanese field marshal, and one of the leaders of the Meiji Restoration. He is one of the founders of the modern Japanese army.

He was born in Satsuma Province, which is now Kagoshima. He was a cousin of Saigo, with whom his elder brother sided in the Satsuma insurrection of 1877, but he nevertheless remained loyal to the imperial cause and commanded a brigade against the insurgents.

When war broke out between China and Japan in 1894, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the second Japanese army corps, which, landing on the Liaotung Peninsula, carried Port Arthur by storm, and, subsequently crossing to Shantung, captured the fortress of Weihaiwei.

For these services he received the title of marquess, and, three years later, he became field-marshal. When (1904) his country became embroiled in war with Russia, he was named commander-in-chief of the Japanese armies in Manchuria, and in the sequel of Japan's victory the emperor bestowed on him (1907) the rank of prince. He was made a member of the British Order of Merit in 1906.

He died at age 75 in 1916.ja:大山巌 ka:ოიამა ივაო ru:Ояма Ивао