伊藤 博文（1841―1909）
通称は利助、春輔、俊輔、号は春畝、変名は花山春輔または林宇一。
農業、林十蔵の一子として周防熊毛郡束荷村に生まれ、両親に従って萩に移る。
諸家に仕えたのち藩士来原良蔵や桂小五郎の従者となって国事に奔走することとなり、吉田松陰に師事した。
文久三年（1863）井上馨ら五人とイギリスに密留学し、翌年、四国連合艦隊と長州藩との交戦を知って帰国した。
高杉晋作に協力して講和談判に努力し、また力士隊を率いて高杉の挙兵を援助した。
維新後新政府の要職にあって活躍、憲法制定に尽力した。
明治十八年（1885）初代内閣総理大臣に就任し、以後四度内閣を組織した。
枢密院議長・韓国統監となり、明治四十二年（1909）満州ハルピンの駅頭にて暗殺された。
享年六十九。国葬を賜った。
Ito Hirofumi（1841―1909）
His common names included "Risuke," "Shunsuke," and his alias was "Shunpo" or sometimes "Hanayama Shunsuke” or “Hayashi Uichi." As the first son of Hayashi Juzo, He was born in Tsukari Village, Kumage District, Suo Province, and later moved to Hagi with his parents. After serving various families, he became an attendant to the samurai Kuruhara Ryozo and then to Katsura Kogoro. He later got involved in state affairs and devoted himself to the cause, studying under Yoshida Shoin.
In 1863 (the 3rd year of Bunkyu era), he and five others, including Inoue Kaoru, secretly studied in England. After learning about the conflict between the Shikoku Alliance Fleet and the Choshu Domain the following year, he returned to Japan. He collaborated with Takasugi Shinsaku, worked towards peace negotiations, and led a group of soldiers to support Takasugi's uprising.
After the Meiji Restoration, he played an active role in key positions within the new government and worked hard for the establishment of a constitution. In 1885 (the 18th year of Meiji era), he became the first Prime Minister and went on to organize cabinets four times. He also served as the president of the Privy council and the Resident-General of Korea. He was assassinated at the Harbin railway station in Manchuria in 1909 (the 42nd year of Meiji Era) at the age of 69 and received a national funeral.