. Soga no Iname was a leader of the Soga clan

Soga clan

The was one of the most powerful clans in Yamato Japan and played a major role in the spread of Buddhism. For many generations, in the 5th and 7th centuries, the Soga monopolized the position of Great Royal Chieftain and was the first of many families to dominate the Imperial House of Japan by...

 and a statesman during the reign of Emperor Kimmei

Emperor Kimmei

was the 29th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.His reign is said to have spanned the years from 539 through 571.-Traditional narrative:...

 in the Asuka period

Asuka period

The , was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 , although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period...

. He was the first person to hold the position of Ōomi

Omi

was an ancient Japanese hereditary title denoting rank and political standing that, along with muraji, was reserved for the most powerful clans during the Kofun period...

 that can be verified with reasonable accuracy, in 536 AD. He was the son of Soga no Koma

Soga no Koma

was a member of the Soga clan, and Chief Minister of Japan . He was the father of the powerful Soga no Iname, whose direct descendants controlled many Japanese emperors and brought Buddhism to Japan. His mother was from Goguryeo and his personal name was Umanose...

 and the father of Soga no Umako

Soga no Umako

was the son of Soga no Iname and a member of the powerful Soga clan of Japan.Umako conducted political reforms with Prince Shōtoku during the rules of Emperor Bidatsu and Empress Suiko and established the Soga clan's stronghold in the government by having his daughter married with members of the...

.

Soga no Iname solidified his power by marrying two of his daughters, Soga no Kitashihime

Soga no Kitashihime

Soga no Kitashihime was a daughter of Soga no Iname, a high-ranking official and consort to Emperor Kimmei of Japan. She gave birth to seven boys and six girls, including Emperor Yōmei, Empress Suiko and Princess Ōtomo....

 and Soga no Oanegimi, to Emperor Kimmei. Between the two of them they gave birth to three future emperors, Emperor Yōmei

Emperor Yomei

was the 31st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Yōmei's reign spanned the years from 585 until his death in 587.-Traditional narrative:...

, Emperor Sushun

Emperor Sushun

was the 32nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Sushun's reign spanned the years from 587 through 592.-Traditional narrative:...

 and Empress Suiko

Empress Suiko

was the 33rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Suiko's reign spanned the years from 593 until her death in 628....

, as well as numerous other princes and princesses.

Soga no Iname is also known for his early support of Buddhism

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

 which, according to the Nihon Shoki

Nihon Shoki

The , sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical...

, was introduced to the Yamato court from Paekche

Baekje

Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....

 in 552. (However, according to a different source, the Jōgū Shōtoku Hōō Teisetsu

Jogu Shotoku Hoo Teisetsu

, also read as Jōgū Shōtoku Hōō Taisetsu, is a biography of Shōtoku Taishi. It is one scroll in length and is a National Treasures of Japan.-Background:...

, it was introduced in 538.) Opposing Iname and against the acceptance of this new foreign religion were Mononobe no Okoshi and Nakatomi no Kamako. The rivalry between the Sogas and the Mononobe

Mononobe clan

The was a Japanese clan of the Kofun period, known for its military opposition to the Soga clan. The Mononobe were opposed to the spread of Buddhism, not on religious grounds, but more so as the result of feelings of conservatism and a degree of xenophobia...

 and Nakatomi clans would carry on into future generations, with Iname's son Soga no Umako defeating Okoshi's son Mononobe no Moriya

Mononobe no Moriya

was an Ō-muraji, a high-ranking clan head position of the ancient Japanese Yamato state, having inherited the position from his father Mononobe no Okoshi...

 in 587, and his grandson and great-grandson Soga no Emishi

Soga no Emishi

was a statesman of the Yamato Imperial Court. His alternative names include Emishi and Toyora no Ooomi . After the death of his father Soga no Umako, Emishi took over Ooomi, the Minister of state, from his father....

 and Soga no Iruka

Soga no Iruka

was a statesman in the Asuka Period of Japan.He was a son of Soga no Emishi. He was assassinated by Prince Naka-no-Ōe though he tried to murder Prince Yamashiro, and to rule the emperor family. Emishi also committed suicide soon after his son's death, and the main branch of the Soga clan went...

 being defeated by a descendant of Kamako, Nakatomi no Kamatari

Fujiwara no Kamatari

Fujiwara no Kamatari was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Asuka period.Kamatari was the founder of the Fujiwara clan in Japan. His birth clan was the Nakatomi. He was the son of Nakatomi no Mikeko, and his birth name was Nakatomi no Kamatari...

, in the Isshi Incident.