While at Tokyo University, he developed close friendships with children of the nobility such as Koichi KIDO (later, Naidaijin or Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal) and Kumao HARADA (who later became Kimmochi SAIONJI's secretary), both of whom later became active in the political world as members of the 'reformist group of the Imperial court.'
なお東大時代には、のちに「宮中革新派」などと呼ばれて政界で活躍する木戸幸一（後に内大臣）や原田熊雄（後に西園寺公望秘書）などの華族の子弟と親交を深めている。