While he was the Minister of Commerce and Agriculture, he gave orders for the first time to begin preventive construction for the Ashio Copper Mine pollution case, which had been an impending problem at that time, and made an inspection tour of the site for the first time as a minister, although the visit was conducted privately.
農商務大臣時代には、懸案であった足尾鉱毒事件について初めて予防工事命令を出し、私的ながら大臣自ら初めて現地視察を行った。