Iwakura Mission
Through an initiative in 1872 led by Yozo Yamao, the Meji government sought teaching staff for a new.y established engineering school. Hugh Matheson, a contact of Yamao, . consulted with Lewis Gordon, and William John Macquorn Rankine. Rankine arranged for teaching staff lead by Dyer as Principal and Professor of Engineering, and informed it to Itō Hirobumi, minister of Public Works, at the time vice Ambassador of the Iwakura Mission.