Japan: Wake no Kiyomaro (733 - 799) was a high government official in Japan during the Nara Period. Drawing by Kikuchi Yosai (1781 - 1878) c. 1903

Wake no Kiyomaro was born in Bizen Province (now Wake, Okayama) to a family of politically important, devoted Buddhists who hoped to keep Buddhism and politics separate through religious reform.

He became a trusted advisor to Emperor Kammu, a position which he used to encourage the development of Buddhism in a direction which would prevent it from posing a threat to the government.

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