Hiroyoshi Itō

Hiroyoshi Itō (May 3, 1899 – February 8, 1962) was a Japanese Imperial Court official, politician, and member of the nobility. He served as a Duke member in the House of Peers. He was born in Tokyo as the eldest son of Imperial Court official Hiroyuki Itō (adopted son of Hirobumi Itō, nephew of Kōmei Inoue). His mother was Tama (Tamako) Itō, the eldest daughter of Kaemon Takashima. In 1922, he graduated from Tokyo University of Agriculture and subsequently joined the Mitsui Gomei Company. He later held positions such as an attendant in the court and responsible official.

On July 1, 1931, following his father’s death, he inherited the peerage of duke and was elected as a Duke member of the House of Peers. He belonged to the Tuesday Society and remained in office until the House of Peers was abolished on May 2, 1947.

Regarding his family, his wife was Fuku Itō (Fukuko), the second daughter of Korefuku Takahashi and granddaughter of Kiyoshi Takahashi. Their children included: eldest daughter Kuniko (born April 7, 1926), second daughter Yukiko, eldest son Hiroyoshi Itō (born November 10, 1929), who graduated from Gakushuin and later worked at Meiji Nyugyo; and his eldest son's wife, Shōko, who was the eldest daughter of Baron Yamaga Kanbei. His granddaughter Hiroko was born on March 8, 1963, and her husband is Tomoaki. There are also grandchildren, including Tomoaki (born 1985) and Yae (born April 28, 1965). His sisters included his third sister Fumiko (married to the Teshina family), his fourth sister Noriko (married to Hirose Kazuhiro), and his fifth sister Hisako (married to Matsudaira Koki of Kuwana).

His honors include: 5th rank (Jugo-i) on May 10, 1919; 4th rank (Sho-goi) on May 12, 1923; 3rd rank (Jugo-shi) on June 1, 1929; and the court rank of Third Rank (Jōsan-mi) awarded on July 15, 1939. In 1931, he acquired the title of Duke.

Additional references include personnel directories such as Jinji Kōshinsha’s ‘Jinji Kōshinroku Dai 14-han Ue’, the parliamentary history ‘Gikai Seido Hyakunenshi - Kizokuin and Sangiin giin meikan’, and the genealogical records of the nobility ‘Heisei Shinshu Koshaku Kakei Taisei Jōkan’.