恩賜上野動物園
During the First Sino-Japanese War, he saw combat at the Battle of Jinzhou and later at the Battle of Lushunkou. After the fall of Lushunkou, soldiers under his command were accused of the Port Arthur massacre by yellow journalist James Creelman in a widely circulated account with blemished Japan's previous good reputation for its conduct in the war. Yamaji is reported to have brought two camels back from Lushunkou as spoils of war. He presented one to the crown prince (the future Emperor Taishō) and the other to Ueno Zoo in Tokyo.