William George Aston was born in County Londonderry and attended Queen's College, Belfast. He became a Doctor of Literature of the Royal University of Ireland. He was Consul-General of Korea from 1884 to 1886. He was fluent in Japanese, translating widely into English and compiling, in 1869 and 1872, two Japanese grammars, for both the spoken and written language. He is said to have sent the first Japanese child for education to Belfast. His was the first European translation of Nihongi: The Ancient Chronicles of Japan and this was followed by Japanese Literature and Shinto. He was a prolific contributor to the Royal Asiatic Society of London and to the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan.

Born:	1841
Died:	1911