Saigō Jūdō carried naval reform into politics and the army

Saigō Jūdō served two periods as naval minister and became the public political champion of the Six-Six Fleet coalition. Where Yamamoto developed the papers and reasoning, Saigō had to persuade the Diet, the public, and, when necessary, the army. His interrupted tenure and death in 1902 distinguish his role from the longer continuity provided by Itō and Yamamoto. Although technically an army officer, he aligned closely with naval policy and received admiral's rank in 1894. He was also a publicly acknowledged genrō, held other ministries, and founded a political party. His career shows that Japanese naval reform crossed service and political boundaries while still depending on senior professional patronage.