The Founders

Nagatane Soma (Nov.22,1850-Jan 26,1924)

Studied in the US from 1871 to 1879; After graduation from Columbia Law School, studied law and economics at Yale University, Graduate School of Law; Founded Senshu College in 1880; Served as the first Head Teacher, President, and lectured in law; Served as attorney to the Ministry of Justice and Vice Chairman of Japan Federation of Bar Association in 1880, then became a judge in March 1881; Served as the Director and Advisor, then the President of the Yokohama Specie Bank from 1882 to 1924; Elected member of the House of Representatives in 1890 via its first general election.
Nagatane Soma

Inajiro Tajiri (June 29 1850-Aug.15,1923)

Studied in the US from 1871 to 1879; After graduation from the literature department of Yale University, studied economics and public finance at Yale Graduate School; Founded Senshu College in 1880; Served as instructor at Tokyo University, lecturing in political economy; Served as Director-General of the Banking Bureau, Director-General of the Tax Bureau, Undersecretary of Finance, Secretariat of Policy Coordination at the Ministry of Finance; Served as President of the Board of Audit in 1901; Served as Mayor of Tokyo in 1918. Introduced French public finance and founded a modern financial system for Japan; Viscount and Doctor of Law.
Inajiro Tajiri

Tanetaro Megata (July 21, 1853-Sept.10, 1926)

Studied in the US from 1870-1874, graduated from Harvard Law School; Went back to the US in 1875. Besides serving as supervisor for the students abroad supporting and advising them, he studied the educational systems of the U.S. and the western world. Returned to Japan in 1879; Founded Senshu College in 1880; Also laid the foundation for Tokyo Music Academy (presently Department of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music) Served as attorney to the Ministry of Justice and Chairman of Japan Federation of Bar Association in the same year, then judge in March of 1881, a high-ranking secretary and Tax Bureau Officer at the Ministry of Finance, and Superintendent of the Yokohama Customhouse; Served as Director-General of the Tax Bureau in 1894, drafting taxation and public finance systems and maintained the taxation & financial system; Became a member of the House of Peers and served as financial advisor to the Korean government in 1904, and Counselor to the Privy Council in 1923; Baron.
Tanetaro Megata

Shigetada Komai (Aug. 21, 1853-Dec.9, 1901)

Studied in the US in 1874, accompanying Matsudaira Sadanori, the former Lord of the Kuwana clan; Studied economics at Rutgers University, returning to Japan in 1879; Served as a high-ranking officer at the Ministry of Finance and founded Senshu College in 1880; Served as Counselor at the Ministry of Finance in 1886 and Director-General of Bureau of National Bond in 1896, and Principal of the Tokyo School of Commerce (concurrently Counselor at the Ministry of Finance) in 1899, where he laid the foundation for the school's future development into the present-day Hitotsubashi University, introduced the public financing system of France and contributed in establishing the foundation of the modern public financing system of Japan.
Shigetada Komai