Court politics and the restoration
Born in Kyoto to the Horikawa family, Iwakura was adopted into the Iwakura house. He became an attendant to Emperor Kōmei in 1854. He opposed imperial approval of the American commercial treaty while promoting cooperation between court and shogunate through the marriage of Princess Kazunomiya and Tokugawa Iemochi.
This accommodationist position drew criticism from loyalist opponents and he withdrew to Iwakura village north of Kyoto. He later worked with Ōkubo Toshimichi and others on plans for the restoration. His changing alliances preceded the new government's formation.
The overseas mission
In the Meiji administration Iwakura held senior offices, including minister of the right. In 1871 he headed a mission to Europe and the United States, accompanied by officials and students. Its purposes combined exploration of treaty revision with investigation of foreign institutions.
The journey lasted about a year and ten months. Treaty revision was not achieved, but delegates examined railways, industry and government at first hand. Iwakura subsequently became involved in establishing the Japan Railway Company, connecting overseas observation with domestic projects.
Constitutional policy and later life
Iwakura favoured a constitution granted under imperial authority and sought to protect the position of the imperial family and the peerage. These positions belonged to debates over monarchy and representation before the eventual constitution was promulgated.
He died in 1883, before either the 1889 constitution or the opening of the Imperial Diet. His career linked court service, political alliance-building, ministerial office and overseas investigation across the transition from shogunal to Meiji government.
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