When his son, Jutoku, uttered Chankoro, a disparaging term for people of Chinese origin, in front of Tsugumichi after the Japanese-Sino War, he got furious and scolded him saying, "do not insult foreigners".
日清戦争後、息子の従徳が従道の前でチャンコロと発言したところ、外国人を侮辱するなと大激怒したという。