Soga no Iname (蘇我稲目)
SOGA no Iname (c. 506 - March 22, 570) was a minister during the Asuka Period. He was a son of SOGA no Koma and was a father of four sons and three daughters, including SOGA no Umako. Iname's three daughters were married with the emperor.
(As SOGA no Umako had his ruling base in the Yamato Katsuragi area in Yamato Imperial dynasty, it is speculated that his wife was from the KATSURAGI clan.)
Iname was appointed as a minister in 536. In the same year, he received an order from the emperor to be in charge of transferring the unhulled rice from Miyake, Owari Province to the capital in order to prepare for an imminent poor harvest. In 540, when Emperor Kinmei ascended the throne, Iname was again appointed as a minister and made his two daughters, SOGA no Kitashihime and (Soga no) Oane no kimi, marry the emperor. Katashihime gave birth to seven sons and six daughters, and among them, Oenomiko (later Emperor Yomei) and Kashiyaki-hime (later Emperor Suiko) were coronated later. Meanwhile, Oane no kimi gave birth to four sons and one daughter, and one of the sons, the Imperial Prince Hatsusebe, later became Emperor Sushun.
In 552, an envoy of Shomyoo (the 26th King) of Kudara (Paekche, a country in early Korea) offered a Buddha statue and several volumes of "Kyoron" (Dharma teachings of Buddha and its commentaries) to the Emperor and praised the virtue of Buddhism (Official introduction of Buddhism). The emperor asked his retainers whether or not Japan should worship the Buddha statue.
Iname answered 'considering that all the western countries admire the Buddha statue, it is not possible for Japan to be an exception.'
On the other hand, other officials, MONONOBE no Okoshi and NAKATOMI no Kamako, objected Iname's opinion by saying 'the king of our country enshrines Yasogami (many gods) of heaven and earth. If we worship banshin (God believed by foreigners), the wrath of our country Gods will be incurred'. Then, the emperor entrusted Iname with the statue for praying it tentatively. Iname installed the Buddha statue in Oharida Palace and worshiped it everyday. In a short while, a plague started and killed many people. Okoshi and Kamako blamed Iname's worship for the catastrophe and persuaded the emperor into disposing the statue. The Buddha statue was discarded in the Horie canal, Nanba and the Palace was put on fire. In a moment, the fire spread into the residence housing the Palace, although there was no wind. However, it does not mean Buddhism was completely removed from Japan; a year later in 533, the Emperor ordered to build two Buddha statues by pulling camphor trees from underwater.
Iname exercised his excellent ability on financial matters and ordered O Shinni to count and record the number of materials for vessels. Also, Iname installed miyake (Imperial-controlled territory) in provinces based on the order from Emperor.
Started with the disagreement on Buddhism, a confrontation between Umako and Okoshi, coupled with a power struggle, became increasingly fierce. The conflict did not end in their generation, and their sons, SOGA no Umako and MONONOBE no Moriya, took over the battle.