Early life Katō was born as Hattori Sokichi, the second son of a former samurai retainer of the Owari Tokugawa domain in Nagoya, Owari Province, in the town of Saya, Ama District in what is now part of the city of Aisai, Aichi Prefecture. He was adopted by Katō Bunhei at the age of 13, and attended the University of Tokyo, from which he graduated at the top of his class from the Law Department in 1881, specializing in English common law. After graduation, he worked as an employee of Mitsubishi zaibatsu, and was sent to London for two years. On his return to Japan in 1885, he became an assistant manager at the Mitsubishi head office in Marunouchi, Tokyo. In 1886, he married Haruji, the eldest daughter of Iwasaki Yatarō, the president of Mitsubishi.
Early life Katō was born as Hattori Sokichi the second son of a former samurai retainer of the Owari Tokugawa domain in Nagoya Owari Province in the town of Saya Ama District in what is now part of the city of Aisai Aichi Prefecture He was adopted by Katō Bunhei at the age of 13 and attended the University of Tokyo from which he graduated at the top of his class from the Law Department in 1881 specializing in English common law After graduation he worked as an employee of Mitsubishi zaibatsu and was sent to London for two years On his return to Japan in 1885 he became an assistant manager at the Mitsubishi head office in Marunouchi Tokyo In 1886 he married Haruji the eldest daughter of Iwasaki Yatarō the president of Mitsubishi