He was known as a practitioner of the policy for encouragement of new industry in the Meiji era, and called 'Minister of Agriculture in hoi' (Minister of Agriculture in full dress for a samurai in the lower rank, which means the one in the field figuratively.)
明治期における殖産興業政策の実践者としてしられ、「布衣の農相」とも呼ばれた。