He was appointed to a commander of the second string in the Japanese-Sino War as the Army General (Japanese Army), and a commander in chief of the Manchuria troops in the Japanese-Russo War as the Army Marshal (Japanese Army).
日清戦争では陸軍大将として第2軍(日本軍)司令官、日露戦争においては、陸軍元帥として満州軍(日本軍)総司令官に就任。