He withdrew from the political world temporarily in 1907 and put his energies into the development of cultural affairs, such as assuming the post of the President of Waseda University, contributing to the translation project of European literatures as the President of the Great Japan Civilization Association, and assuming the post of campaign club leader of the Antarctic exploration.
明治40年（1907年）、いったん政界を引退し、早稲田大学総長への就任、大日本文明協会会長としてのヨーロッパ文献の日本語翻訳事業、南極探検隊後援会長への就任など、精力的に文化事業を展開した。