He worked as the hyobu taifu of Ministry of the Military (later renamed Vice Minister of Army Ministry) and he is often regarded as the de facto founder of the Imperial Japanese Army or the father of the Japanese Army.
初代の兵部省兵部大輔（後の陸軍次官）を務め、事実上の大日本帝国陸軍の創始者、あるいは陸軍建設の祖と見なされることも多い。