Hotta Masatoshi vs Jacinda Ardern

Hotta Masatoshi was appointed tairo under Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi. He became the shogun's chief advisor and helped implement Tsunayoshi's policies, including the controversial Laws of Compassion regarding animal protection.

As tairo, Masatoshi helped enforce Tsunayoshi's edicts protecting dogs, horses, and other animals, which included severe punishments for violators. These laws caused hardship for commoners and were widely resented, but Masatoshi supported them as loyal advisor.

Hotta Masatoshi was stabbed to death in Edo Castle by a disgruntled junior official, Inaba Masayasu, who was then executed. The assassination shocked the shogunate and led to a purge of Inaba's faction, strengthening Tsunayoshi's authoritarian rule.

Jacinda Ardern became Prime Minister after the Labour Party formed a coalition government with New Zealand First, supported by the Green Party. At 37, she was the youngest female head of government in the world at the time.

Following the terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch that killed 51 people, Ardern's government swiftly enacted gun law reforms, banning military-style semi-automatic weapons. Her empathetic leadership and wearing of a headscarf gained international praise.

Ardern's government implemented a strict nationwide lockdown and border closure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. New Zealand successfully eliminated community transmission for several months, with low case numbers and deaths compared to many countries.

Jacinda Ardern announced her resignation as Prime Minister, stating she no longer had 'enough in the tank' to lead. Her departure marked the end of a transformative but increasingly challenging tenure.