HORI had a strong influence in Meiji Government as a Satsuma clique, and he was stationed at Karafuto with more experienced Kiyotaka KURODA from the same Satsuma Domain, and engaged in the negotiation process with Russia.
薩摩閥として羽振りを利かせる一方、同郷の先輩黒田清隆と共に樺太に駐在し対ロシア交渉などにあたった。