Iwakura Mission
Tanaka was born in Owari Province (present-day Aichi Prefecture). After the Meiji Restoration, he was selected to accompany the Iwakura Mission on its around-the-world journey to the United States and Europe. He was especially impressed from what he saw of western educational systems. On his return to Japan in March 1873 (six months earlier than the rest of the Mission), he was made Vice Minister for Education in 1874.