Umako

Umako, commonly known as Soga no Umako (蘇我馬子), was a prominent Japanese statesman of the Soga clan during the Asuka period. Active in the mid-6th century, he became the chief adviser at the court and a key architect of Soga influence in state affairs. Umako supported the promotion of Buddhism as a cornerstone of the new state and fostered close ties with Buddhist clergy, including the court's collaboration with Prince Shōtoku. Through his backing, the Soga gained ascendancy over rival clans, enabling a more centralized administration influenced by Chinese models.

Umako played a central role in shaping early imperial policy and diplomacy. He encouraged contact with the Korean kingdoms and Tang China, resulting in the adoption of bureaucratic practices and a more standardized government. He is often credited with laying the groundwork for the Seventeen-Article Constitution, traditionally attributed to Prince Shōtoku, and with facilitating the integration of Buddhism into state ideology.

Umako died circa 587 CE. His death did not immediately end Soga influence, but it did shift the balance of court politics and contributed to subsequent power struggles within the Asuka court. His legacy is seen in the lasting prominence of Buddhism in Japanese statecraft and in the Soga clan's crucial, though contested, role in the formation of a centralized government during Japan's early medieval period.