Junichiro Koizumi
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan
from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics when his term in parliament ended.
Widely seen as a maverick leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
, he became known as an economic reformer, focusing on Japan's government debt and the privatization of its postal service
. In 2005, Koizumi led the LDP to win one of the largest parliamentary majorities in modern Japanese history.
Koizumi also attracted international attention through his deployment of the Japan Self-Defense Forces
to Iraq
, the first foreign deployment of the Japanese military since World War II. His visits to Yasukuni Shrine
led to diplomatic tensions with neighboring China
and South Korea
.
Since 1972, Koizumi is the only Prime Minister to have served more than five years in office. Until Naoto Kan
, none of his successors were able to keep the office for more than one year.
. His grandfather, Koizumi Matajirō, was Minister of Posts and Telecommunications under Prime Ministers Hamaguchi and Wakatsuki and an early advocate of postal privatization. See Koizumi family
.
Born in Yokosuka, Kanagawa prefecture
on January 8, 1942, Koizumi was educated at Yokosuka High School and Keio University
, where he studied economics. He attended University College London
before returning to Japan in August 1969 upon the death of his father.
He stood for election to the lower house in December; however, he did not earn enough votes to win election as a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) representative. In 1970, he was hired as a secretary to Takeo Fukuda
, who was Minister of Finance at the time and was elected as Prime Minister in 1976.
In the general elections of December 1972, Koizumi was elected as a member of the Lower House for the Kanagawa 11th district. He joined Fukuda's faction within the LDP. Since then, he has been re-elected ten times.
. He held cabinet posts again in 1992 (Minister of Posts and Telecommunications in the Miyazawa
cabinet) and 1996–1998 (Minister of Health and Welfare in the Uno
and Hashimoto
cabinets).
In 1994, with the LDP in opposition, Koizumi became part of a new LDP faction, Shinseiki, made up of younger and more motivated parliamentarians led by Taku Yamasaki
, Koichi Kato
and Koizumi, a group popularly dubbed "YKK." He competed for the presidency of the LDP in September 1995 and July 1998, but he gained little support losing decisively to Ryutaro Hashimoto
and then Keizō Obuchi
, both of whom had broader bases of support within the party. However, after Yamasaki and Kato were humiliated in a disastrous attempt to force a vote of no confidence
against Prime Minister Yoshirō Mori
in 2000, Koizumi became the last remaining credible member of the YKK trio, which gave him leverage over the reform-minded wing of the party.
On April 24, 2001, Koizumi was elected president of the LDP. He was initially considered an outside candidate against Hashimoto, who was running for his second term as Prime Minister. However, in the first poll of prefectural party organizations, Koizumi won 87 to 11 percent; in the second vote of Diet members, Koizumi won 51 to 40 percent. He defeated Hashimoto by a final tally of 298 to 155 votes. He was made Prime Minister of Japan on April 26, and his coalition secured 78 of 121 seats in the Upper House elections in July.
In the fall of 2002, Koizumi appointed Keio University economist and frequent television commentator Heizō Takenaka
as Minister of State for Financial Services and head of the Financial Services Agency (FSA)
to fix the country's banking crisis. Bad debts of banks were dramatically cut with the NPL ratio of major banks approaching half the level of 2001. The Japanese economy has been through a slow but steady recovery, and the stock market has dramatically rebounded. The GDP
growth for 2004 was one of the highest among G7 nations, according to the International Monetary Fund
and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Takenaka was appointed as a Postal Reform Minister in 2004 for the privatization of Japan Post
, operator of the country's Postal Savings system.
Koizumi moved the LDP away from its traditional rural agrarian base toward a more urban, neoliberal core, as Japan's population grew in major cities and declined in less populated areas, although under current purely geographical districting, rural votes in Japan are still many times more powerful than urban ones. In addition to the privatization of Japan Post (which many rural residents fear will reduce their access to basic services such as banking), Koizumi also slowed down the LDP's heavy subsidies for infrastructure and industrial development in rural areas. These tensions made Koizumi a controversial but popular figure within his own party and among the Japanese electorate.
Although Koizumi's foreign policy was focused on closer relations with the United States and UN-centered diplomacy, which were adopted by all of his predecessors, he went further to pursue supporting the US policies in the War on Terrorism
. He decided to deploy the Japan Self-Defense Forces
to Iraq
, which was the first military mission in active foreign war zones since the end of the World War II
. Many Japanese commentators indicated that the favorable US-Japan relation was based on the Koizumi's personal friendship with the US President George W. Bush
. In the North Korean abductions
and nuclear development issues, he took more assertive attitudes than his predecessors.
(JSDF) and in October 2001 they were given greater scope to operate outside of the country. Some of these troops were dispatched to Iraq. Koizumi's government also introduced a bill to upgrade the Japan Defense Agency
to ministry status; finally, the Defense Agency became the Japanese Ministry of Defense on January 9, 2007.
, starting on August 13, 2001. He visited the shrine six times as prime minister. Because the shrine honors many convicted Japanese war criminals, including 14 executed Class A war criminals, these visits drew strong condemnation and protests from both Japan's neighbours, mainly China
and South Korea
, and many Japanese citizens. China and South Korea's people hold bitter memories of Japanese invasion and occupation during the first half of the 20th century. China and South Korea refused to have their representatives meet Koizumi in Japan and their countries. There were no mutual visits between Chinese and Japanese leaders from October 2001, and between South Korean and Japanese leaders from June 2005. The standstill ended when the next prime minister Abe visited China and South Korea in October 2006.
In China, the visits led to massive anti-Japanese riots. The president, ruling and opposition parties, and much of the media of South Korea openly condemned Koizumi's pilgrimages. Many Koreans applauded the president's speeches criticizing Japan, despite the South Korean President's
low popularity. When asked about the reaction, Koizumi said the speeches were "for the domestic (audience)".
Although Koizumi signed the shrine's visitor book as "Junichiro Koizumi, the Prime Minister of Japan", he claimed that his visits were as a private citizen and not an endorsement of any political stance. China and Korea found the claims weak as excuses. Several journals and news reports in Japan, such as one published by Kyodo News Agency on August 15, 2006, questioned Koizumi's statement of private purpose, as he recorded his position on the shrine's guestbook as prime minister. He visited the shrine annually in fulfillment of a campaign pledge, which was of course political in nature. Koizumi's last visit as prime minister was on August 15, 2006, fulfilling a campaign pledge to visit on the anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.
Eleven months after his resignation as prime minister, Koizumi revisited the shrine on August 15, 2007, to mark the 62nd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II
. His 2007 visit attracted less attention from the media than his prior visits while he was in office.
, Koizumi publicly stated that Japan was deeply saddened by the suffering it caused during World War II and vowed Japan would never again take "the path to war". However, Koizumi was criticized for actions which allegedly ran contrary to this expression of remorse (e.g. the Yasukuni visits), which resulted in worsening relations with China
and South Korea
.
Koizumi was at certain points in his tenure an extremely popular leader. Most people know him very well due to his trademark wavy grey hair. His outspoken nature and colourful past contributed to that; his nicknames included "Lionheart", due to his hair style and fierce spirit, and "Maverick". During his tenure in office, the Japanese public referred to him as Jun-chan (the suffix "chan" in the Japanese language is used as a term of familiarity, typically between children, "Jun" is a contraction of Junichiro). In June 2001, he enjoyed an approval rating of 85 percent.
In January 2002, Koizumi sacked his popular Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka
, replacing her with Yoriko Kawaguchi
. Following an economic slump and a series of LDP scandals that claimed the career of YKK member Koichi Kato
, by April Koizumi's popularity rating had fallen 40 percentage points since his nomination as prime minister.
Koizumi was re-elected in 2003 and his popularity surged as the economy recovered. His proposal to cut pension benefits as a move to fiscal reform turned out to be highly unpopular. Two visits to North Korea
to solve the issue of abducted Japanese nationals only somewhat raised his popularity, as he could not secure several abductee's returns to Japan. In the House of Councilors elections in 2004
, the LDP performed only marginally better than the opposition Democratic Party of Japan
(DPJ).
In 2005, the House of Councilors rejected the contentious postal privatization bills
. Koizumi previously made it clear that he would dissolve the lower house if the bill failed to pass. The Democratic Party, while expressing support for the privatization, made a tactical vote against the bill. Fifty-one LDP members also either voted against the bills or abstained.
On August 8, 2005, Koizumi, as promised, dissolved the House of Representatives and called for snap election
s. He expelled rebel LDP members for not supporting the bill. The LDP's chances for success were initially uncertain; the secretary general of New Komeito
(a junior coalition partner with Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party) said that his party would entertain forming a coalition government with the Democratic Party of Japan if the DPJ took a majority in the House of Representatives.
Koizumi's popularity rose almost twenty points after he dissolved the House and expelled rebel LDP members. Opinion polls ranked the government's approval ratings between 51 and 59 percent. The electorate saw the election in terms of a vote for or against the reform (privatisation), which the Democratic Party and rebel LDP members were seen as being against.
The September 2005 elections
were the LDP's largest victory since 1986, giving the party a large majority in the House of Representatives and nullifying opposing voices in the House of Councilors. In the following Diet session, the last to be held under Koizumi's government, the LDP passed 82 of its 91 proposed bills, including postal privatization.
was elected to succeed Koizumi as president of the LDP. Abe succeeded Koizumi as prime minister on September 26, 2006.
Koizumi remained in the Diet through the administrations of Abe and Yasuo Fukuda
. He announced his retirement from politics on September 25, 2008, shortly following the election of Taro Aso
as Prime Minister. Koizumi retained his Diet seat until the next general election
. His son Shinjiro
was elected into his father's seat representing the Kanagawa 11th district
in 2009. Koizumi supported Yuriko Koike
in the LDP leadership election
held earlier in September 2008, but Koike placed a distant third.
. The wedding ceremony at the Tokyo Prince Hotel was attended by about 2,500 people, including Takeo Fukuda
(then Prime Minister), and featured a wedding cake
shaped like the National Diet Building
.
The marriage ended in divorce
in 1982, as Kayoko was reportedly unhappy with her married life for several reasons. After this divorce, Koizumi never married again, saying that divorce consumed ten times more energy than marriage.
Koizumi had custody of two of his three sons: Kōtarō Koizumi
and Shinjirō Koizumi
, who were reared by one of his sisters. Shinjiro is the representative for Kanagawa's 11th district
, a position his father has also filled. The youngest son, Yoshinaga Miyamoto, now a graduate of Keio University, was born following the divorce and has never met Koizumi. The third son is known to have attended one of Koizumi's rallies, but was turned away from trying to meet his father. He was also turned away from attending his paternal grandmother's funeral.
Koizumi is a fan of Richard Wagner
, the heavy metal band X Japan
and has released a CD of his favorite pieces by contemporary Italian composer Ennio Morricone
.
Koizumi is also a noted fan of Elvis Presley
, with whom he shares a birthday (January 8). In 2001 he released a collection of his favorite Elvis songs on CD, with his comments about each song. His brother is Senior Advisor of the Tokyo Elvis Fan Club. Koizumi and his brother helped finance a statue of Elvis in Tokyo's Harajuku
district. On June 30, 2006, Koizumi visited Presley's estate, Graceland
, accompanied by U.S. President George W. Bush, and First Lady Laura Bush. After arriving in Memphis
aboard Air Force One
, they headed to Graceland. While there, Koizumi briefly sang a few bars of his favourite Elvis tunes, whilst warmly impersonating Presley, and wearing Presley's trademark oversized golden sunglasses.
Koizumi also appreciates Finnish
composer Jean Sibelius
. He and Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen
visited the Sibelius' home
on September 8, 2006. There Koizumi showed respect to the late composer with a moment of silence. He owns reproductions of the manuscripts of all seven symphonies by Sibelius.
In 2009, Koizumi made a voice acting
appearance in an Ultraman
feature film, Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legend The Movie
, playing the voice of Ultraman King
. Koizumi said he took on the role at the urging of his son Shinjiro.
He has been compared many times to American actor Richard Gere
, because of their similar hair style. In 2005, he used the latter as a boost for his falling popularity, by staging an "impromptu ballroom dance performance."
Notes:
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Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics when his term in parliament ended.
Widely seen as a maverick leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
The , frequently abbreviated to LDP or , is a centre-right political party in Japan. It is one of the most consistently successful political parties in the democratic world. The LDP ruled almost continuously for nearly 54 years from its founding in 1955 until its defeat in the 2009 election...
, he became known as an economic reformer, focusing on Japan's government debt and the privatization of its postal service
Japan Post
was a government-owned corporation in Japan, that existed from 2003–2007, offering postal and package delivery services, banking services, and life insurance. It had over 400,000 employees and ran 24,700 post offices throughout Japan and was the nation's largest employer. One third of all Japanese...
. In 2005, Koizumi led the LDP to win one of the largest parliamentary majorities in modern Japanese history.
Koizumi also attracted international attention through his deployment of the Japan Self-Defense Forces
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, the first foreign deployment of the Japanese military since World War II. His visits to Yasukuni Shrine
Yasukuni Shrine
is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is dedicated to the soldiers and others who died fighting on behalf of the Emperor of Japan. Currently, its Symbolic Registry of Divinities lists the names of over 2,466,000 enshrined men and women whose lives were dedicated to the service of...
led to diplomatic tensions with neighboring China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
Since 1972, Koizumi is the only Prime Minister to have served more than five years in office. Until Naoto Kan
Naoto Kan
is a Japanese politician, and former Prime Minister of Japan. In June 2010, then-Finance Minister Kan was elected as the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan and designated Prime Minister by the Diet to succeed Yukio Hatoyama. On 26 August 2011, Kan announced his resignation...
, none of his successors were able to keep the office for more than one year.
Early life
Koizumi is a third-generation politician. His father, Junya Koizumi, was director general of the Japan Defense Agency and a member of the DietDiet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
. His grandfather, Koizumi Matajirō, was Minister of Posts and Telecommunications under Prime Ministers Hamaguchi and Wakatsuki and an early advocate of postal privatization. See Koizumi family
Koizumi family
The Koizumi family has been prominent in Japanese politics since the early 1900s. Notable members of this family include:* Matajiro Koizumi – Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, he was known as the "wild man" and "tattoo minister" because of a large dragon Japanese tattoo on his...
.
Born in Yokosuka, Kanagawa prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
on January 8, 1942, Koizumi was educated at Yokosuka High School and Keio University
Keio University
,abbreviated as Keio or Keidai , is a Japanese university located in Minato, Tokyo. It is known as the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi originally established it as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo . It has eleven campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa...
, where he studied economics. He attended University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
before returning to Japan in August 1969 upon the death of his father.
He stood for election to the lower house in December; however, he did not earn enough votes to win election as a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) representative. In 1970, he was hired as a secretary to Takeo Fukuda
Takeo Fukuda
was a Japanese politician and the 42d Prime Minister of Japan from December 24, 1976 to December 7, 1978.He was born in Gunma Prefecture and attended Tokyo Imperial University. Before and during World War II, he served as a bureaucrat in the Finance Ministry and as Chief Cabinet Secretary...
, who was Minister of Finance at the time and was elected as Prime Minister in 1976.
In the general elections of December 1972, Koizumi was elected as a member of the Lower House for the Kanagawa 11th district. He joined Fukuda's faction within the LDP. Since then, he has been re-elected ten times.
Member of House of Representatives
Koizumi gained his first senior post in 1979 as Parliamentary Vice Minister of Finance, and his first ministerial post in 1988 as Minister of Health and Welfare under Prime Minister Noboru TakeshitaNoboru Takeshita
was a Japanese politician and the 74th Prime Minister of Japan from November 6, 1987 to June 3, 1989.Takeshita was also the last Prime Minister during the long rule of the Emperor Shōwa.-Early years:...
. He held cabinet posts again in 1992 (Minister of Posts and Telecommunications in the Miyazawa
Kiichi Miyazawa
was a Japanese politician and the 78th Prime Minister from November 5, 1991 to August 9, 1993.-Early life and career:Miyazawa was born in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, and graduated from Tokyo Imperial University with a degree in law. In 1942 he joined the Ministry of Finance...
cabinet) and 1996–1998 (Minister of Health and Welfare in the Uno
Sosuke Uno
was a Japanese politician and the 75th Prime Minister of Japan from June 3, 1989 to August 10, 1989.He was born in Shiga Prefecture and attended the Kobe University of Commerce...
and Hashimoto
Ryutaro Hashimoto
was a Japanese politician who served as the 82nd and 83rd Prime Minister of Japan from January 11, 1996 to July 30, 1998. He was the leader of one of the largest factions within the ruling LDP through most of the 1990s and remained a powerful back-room player in Japanese politics until scandal...
cabinets).
In 1994, with the LDP in opposition, Koizumi became part of a new LDP faction, Shinseiki, made up of younger and more motivated parliamentarians led by Taku Yamasaki
Taku Yamasaki
is a Japanese politician, a member of the House of Representatives of Japan. Born in Dalian, Manchukuo, he is a graduate of Waseda University. He worked at Bridgestone.He lost his vision in one eye in childhood....
, Koichi Kato
Koichi Kato (LDP)
is a Japanese politician . Born in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, he is a member of the House of Representatives and the Liberal Democratic Party.- Political career :...
and Koizumi, a group popularly dubbed "YKK." He competed for the presidency of the LDP in September 1995 and July 1998, but he gained little support losing decisively to Ryutaro Hashimoto
Ryutaro Hashimoto
was a Japanese politician who served as the 82nd and 83rd Prime Minister of Japan from January 11, 1996 to July 30, 1998. He was the leader of one of the largest factions within the ruling LDP through most of the 1990s and remained a powerful back-room player in Japanese politics until scandal...
and then Keizō Obuchi
Keizo Obuchi
was a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives for twelve terms, and ultimately as the 84th Prime Minister of Japan from July 30, 1998 to April 5, 2000. His political career ended when he suffered a serious and ultimately fatal stroke....
, both of whom had broader bases of support within the party. However, after Yamasaki and Kato were humiliated in a disastrous attempt to force a vote of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
against Prime Minister Yoshirō Mori
Yoshiro Mori
is a Japanese politician who served as the 85th and 86th Prime Minister of Japan starting at 5 April 2000 ending 26 April 2001. Described as having "the heart of a flea and the brain of a shark," he was an unpopular prime minister mainly remembered today for his many gaffes and situationally...
in 2000, Koizumi became the last remaining credible member of the YKK trio, which gave him leverage over the reform-minded wing of the party.
On April 24, 2001, Koizumi was elected president of the LDP. He was initially considered an outside candidate against Hashimoto, who was running for his second term as Prime Minister. However, in the first poll of prefectural party organizations, Koizumi won 87 to 11 percent; in the second vote of Diet members, Koizumi won 51 to 40 percent. He defeated Hashimoto by a final tally of 298 to 155 votes. He was made Prime Minister of Japan on April 26, and his coalition secured 78 of 121 seats in the Upper House elections in July.
Domestic policy
Within Japan, Koizumi pushed for new ways to revitalise the moribund economy, aiming to act against bad debts with commercial banks, privatize the postal savings system, and reorganize the factional structure of the LDP. He spoke of the need for a period of painful restructuring in order to improve the future.In the fall of 2002, Koizumi appointed Keio University economist and frequent television commentator Heizō Takenaka
Heizo Takenaka
is a Japanese economist and retired politician, last serving as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications and Minister of State for Privatization of the Postal Services in the cabinet of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi...
as Minister of State for Financial Services and head of the Financial Services Agency (FSA)
Financial Services Agency
The is a Japanese government organization responsible for overseeing banking, securities and exchange, and insurance in order to ensure the stability of the financial system of Japan. The agency operates with a commissioner and reports to the Minister of Finance. It oversees the Securities and...
to fix the country's banking crisis. Bad debts of banks were dramatically cut with the NPL ratio of major banks approaching half the level of 2001. The Japanese economy has been through a slow but steady recovery, and the stock market has dramatically rebounded. The GDP
Gross domestic product
Gross domestic product refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living....
growth for 2004 was one of the highest among G7 nations, according to the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Takenaka was appointed as a Postal Reform Minister in 2004 for the privatization of Japan Post
Japan Post
was a government-owned corporation in Japan, that existed from 2003–2007, offering postal and package delivery services, banking services, and life insurance. It had over 400,000 employees and ran 24,700 post offices throughout Japan and was the nation's largest employer. One third of all Japanese...
, operator of the country's Postal Savings system.
Koizumi moved the LDP away from its traditional rural agrarian base toward a more urban, neoliberal core, as Japan's population grew in major cities and declined in less populated areas, although under current purely geographical districting, rural votes in Japan are still many times more powerful than urban ones. In addition to the privatization of Japan Post (which many rural residents fear will reduce their access to basic services such as banking), Koizumi also slowed down the LDP's heavy subsidies for infrastructure and industrial development in rural areas. These tensions made Koizumi a controversial but popular figure within his own party and among the Japanese electorate.
Foreign policy
War on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
. He decided to deploy the Japan Self-Defense Forces
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, which was the first military mission in active foreign war zones since the end of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Many Japanese commentators indicated that the favorable US-Japan relation was based on the Koizumi's personal friendship with the US President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. In the North Korean abductions
North Korean abductions of Japanese
The abductions of Japanese citizens from Japan by agents of the North Korean government happened during a period of six years from 1977 to 1983. Although only 17 Japanese are officially recognized by the Japanese government as having been abducted, there may have been as many as 70 to 80...
and nuclear development issues, he took more assertive attitudes than his predecessors.
Self-Defense Forces policy
Although Koizumi did not initially campaign on the issue of defense reform, he approved the expansion of the Japan Self-Defense ForcesJapan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
(JSDF) and in October 2001 they were given greater scope to operate outside of the country. Some of these troops were dispatched to Iraq. Koizumi's government also introduced a bill to upgrade the Japan Defense Agency
Japan Defense Agency
The is a cabinet-level ministry of the Japanese government. As a result of a law enacted on December 15, 2006, it became a ministry on January 9, 2007. Prior to that, it was the Japan Defense Agency ...
to ministry status; finally, the Defense Agency became the Japanese Ministry of Defense on January 9, 2007.
Visits to Yasukuni Shrine
Koizumi has often been noted for his controversial visits to the Yasukuni ShrineYasukuni Shrine
is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is dedicated to the soldiers and others who died fighting on behalf of the Emperor of Japan. Currently, its Symbolic Registry of Divinities lists the names of over 2,466,000 enshrined men and women whose lives were dedicated to the service of...
, starting on August 13, 2001. He visited the shrine six times as prime minister. Because the shrine honors many convicted Japanese war criminals, including 14 executed Class A war criminals, these visits drew strong condemnation and protests from both Japan's neighbours, mainly China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, and many Japanese citizens. China and South Korea's people hold bitter memories of Japanese invasion and occupation during the first half of the 20th century. China and South Korea refused to have their representatives meet Koizumi in Japan and their countries. There were no mutual visits between Chinese and Japanese leaders from October 2001, and between South Korean and Japanese leaders from June 2005. The standstill ended when the next prime minister Abe visited China and South Korea in October 2006.
In China, the visits led to massive anti-Japanese riots. The president, ruling and opposition parties, and much of the media of South Korea openly condemned Koizumi's pilgrimages. Many Koreans applauded the president's speeches criticizing Japan, despite the South Korean President's
Roh Moo-hyun
Roh Moo-hyun GOM GCB was the 16th President of South Korea .Roh's pre-presidential political career was focused on human rights advocacy for student activists in South Korea. His electoral career later expanded to a focus on overcoming regionalism in South Korean politics, culminating in his...
low popularity. When asked about the reaction, Koizumi said the speeches were "for the domestic (audience)".
Although Koizumi signed the shrine's visitor book as "Junichiro Koizumi, the Prime Minister of Japan", he claimed that his visits were as a private citizen and not an endorsement of any political stance. China and Korea found the claims weak as excuses. Several journals and news reports in Japan, such as one published by Kyodo News Agency on August 15, 2006, questioned Koizumi's statement of private purpose, as he recorded his position on the shrine's guestbook as prime minister. He visited the shrine annually in fulfillment of a campaign pledge, which was of course political in nature. Koizumi's last visit as prime minister was on August 15, 2006, fulfilling a campaign pledge to visit on the anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.
Eleven months after his resignation as prime minister, Koizumi revisited the shrine on August 15, 2007, to mark the 62nd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. His 2007 visit attracted less attention from the media than his prior visits while he was in office.
Statements on World War II
On August 15, 2005, the sixtieth anniversary of the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Koizumi publicly stated that Japan was deeply saddened by the suffering it caused during World War II and vowed Japan would never again take "the path to war". However, Koizumi was criticized for actions which allegedly ran contrary to this expression of remorse (e.g. the Yasukuni visits), which resulted in worsening relations with China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
Popularity
In January 2002, Koizumi sacked his popular Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka
Makiko Tanaka
is a Japanese politician, the daughter of former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka.Tanaka attended high school at Germantown Friends School in the United States and graduated from Waseda University...
, replacing her with Yoriko Kawaguchi
Yoriko Kawaguchi
is a Japanese politician. She was born in Tokyo. She holds a B.A. in international relations from the University of Tokyo, and a master's in economics from Yale University. She was the minister of the environment of Japan from 2000 until 2002 and the foreign minister of Japan from February 2002...
. Following an economic slump and a series of LDP scandals that claimed the career of YKK member Koichi Kato
Koichi Kato (LDP)
is a Japanese politician . Born in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, he is a member of the House of Representatives and the Liberal Democratic Party.- Political career :...
, by April Koizumi's popularity rating had fallen 40 percentage points since his nomination as prime minister.
Koizumi was re-elected in 2003 and his popularity surged as the economy recovered. His proposal to cut pension benefits as a move to fiscal reform turned out to be highly unpopular. Two visits to North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
to solve the issue of abducted Japanese nationals only somewhat raised his popularity, as he could not secure several abductee's returns to Japan. In the House of Councilors elections in 2004
Japan upper house election, 2004
Elections to the House of Councillors, the upper house of the legislature of Japan, were held on July 11, 2004. The House of Councillors consists of 247 members who serve six-year terms. Approximately half the members are elected every three years. At these elections 121 members were elected...
, the LDP performed only marginally better than the opposition Democratic Party of Japan
Democratic Party of Japan
The is a political party in Japan founded in 1998 by the merger of several opposition parties. Its socially liberal platform is generally considered center-left in the Japanese political spectrum...
(DPJ).
In 2005, the House of Councilors rejected the contentious postal privatization bills
Japan Post
was a government-owned corporation in Japan, that existed from 2003–2007, offering postal and package delivery services, banking services, and life insurance. It had over 400,000 employees and ran 24,700 post offices throughout Japan and was the nation's largest employer. One third of all Japanese...
. Koizumi previously made it clear that he would dissolve the lower house if the bill failed to pass. The Democratic Party, while expressing support for the privatization, made a tactical vote against the bill. Fifty-one LDP members also either voted against the bills or abstained.
On August 8, 2005, Koizumi, as promised, dissolved the House of Representatives and called for snap election
Snap election
A snap election is an election called earlier than expected. Generally it refers to an election in a parliamentary system called when not required , usually to capitalize on a unique electoral opportunity or to decide a pressing issue...
s. He expelled rebel LDP members for not supporting the bill. The LDP's chances for success were initially uncertain; the secretary general of New Komeito
New Komeito Party
The , New Kōmei Party, or NKP is a centre-right political party in Japan founded by members of the Nichiren Buddhist organization Sōka Gakkai. The leadership and financing of the two groups are currently independent...
(a junior coalition partner with Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party) said that his party would entertain forming a coalition government with the Democratic Party of Japan if the DPJ took a majority in the House of Representatives.
Koizumi's popularity rose almost twenty points after he dissolved the House and expelled rebel LDP members. Opinion polls ranked the government's approval ratings between 51 and 59 percent. The electorate saw the election in terms of a vote for or against the reform (privatisation), which the Democratic Party and rebel LDP members were seen as being against.
The September 2005 elections
Japan general election, 2005
A general election in Japan was held on 11 September 2005 for all 480 seats of the House of Representatives of Japan, the lower house of the Diet of Japan, almost two years before the end of the term taken from the last election in 2003...
were the LDP's largest victory since 1986, giving the party a large majority in the House of Representatives and nullifying opposing voices in the House of Councilors. In the following Diet session, the last to be held under Koizumi's government, the LDP passed 82 of its 91 proposed bills, including postal privatization.
Resignation
Koizumi announced that he would step down from office in 2006, per LDP rules, and would not personally choose a successor as many LDP prime ministers have in the past. On September 20, 2006, Shinzo AbeShinzo Abe
was the 90th Prime Minister of Japan, elected by a special session of the National Diet on 26 September 2006. He was Japan's youngest post–World War II prime minister and the first born after the war. Abe served as prime minister for nearly twelve months, before resigning on 12 September 2007...
was elected to succeed Koizumi as president of the LDP. Abe succeeded Koizumi as prime minister on September 26, 2006.
Koizumi remained in the Diet through the administrations of Abe and Yasuo Fukuda
Yasuo Fukuda
was the 91st Prime Minister of Japan, serving from 2007 to 2008. He was previously the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history, serving for three and a half years under Prime Ministers Yoshirō Mori and Junichiro Koizumi....
. He announced his retirement from politics on September 25, 2008, shortly following the election of Taro Aso
Taro Aso
was the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan serving from September 2008 to September 2009, and was defeated in the August 2009 election.He has served in the House of Representatives since 1979. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007, and was Secretary-General of the LDP briefly in 2007 and...
as Prime Minister. Koizumi retained his Diet seat until the next general election
Japanese general election, 2009
A general election in Japan was held on August 30, 2009, for all 480 seats of the House of Representatives of Japan, the lower house of the Diet of Japan....
. His son Shinjiro
Shinjirō Koizumi
is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party. He is the second son of former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and younger brother of actor Kotaro Koizumi. He was elected into his father's former seat representing the Kanagawa 11th district in 2009.- External links :*...
was elected into his father's seat representing the Kanagawa 11th district
Kanagawa's 11th district
The is a constituency of the House of Representatives in the Diet of Japan . It is located in Kanagawa Prefecture, and consists of the cities of Miura and Yokosuka. Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi served as the first representative of the constituency from 1994. Koizumi announced that he...
in 2009. Koizumi supported Yuriko Koike
Yuriko Koike
is a Japanese politician, who was the Minister of Defense in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but resigned August 27, 2007 after only 54 days in office...
in the LDP leadership election
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election, 2008
A leadership election was held in the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan on 22 September 2008 after the incumbent party leader and Prime Minister of Japan Yasuo Fukuda announced that he would resign on 1 September 2008, only 11 months after taking office on 25 September 2007 following a leadership...
held earlier in September 2008, but Koike placed a distant third.
Personal life
Koizumi married 21-year-old university student Kayoko Miyamoto in 1978. The couple had been formally introduced to each other as potential spouses, a common practice known as omiaiOmiai
or is a Japanese traditional custom in which unattached individuals are introduced to each other to consider the possibility of marriage. Since this "Miai" or "Omiai" was sometimes translated as "arranged marriage" in English and other foreign languages, which is a total misnomer, some foreigners...
. The wedding ceremony at the Tokyo Prince Hotel was attended by about 2,500 people, including Takeo Fukuda
Takeo Fukuda
was a Japanese politician and the 42d Prime Minister of Japan from December 24, 1976 to December 7, 1978.He was born in Gunma Prefecture and attended Tokyo Imperial University. Before and during World War II, he served as a bureaucrat in the Finance Ministry and as Chief Cabinet Secretary...
(then Prime Minister), and featured a wedding cake
Wedding cake
A wedding cake is the traditional cake served to the guests at a wedding reception after a wedding. In modern Western culture, it is usually a large cake, multi-layered or tiered, and heavily decorated with icing, usually over a layer of marzipan or fondant...
shaped like the National Diet Building
National Diet Building
The is the place where both houses of the Diet of Japan meet. It is located at 1-chome, Nagatachō, Chiyoda, Tokyo.Sessions of the House of Representatives take place in the left wing and sessions of the House of Councillors in the right wing....
.
The marriage ended in divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
in 1982, as Kayoko was reportedly unhappy with her married life for several reasons. After this divorce, Koizumi never married again, saying that divorce consumed ten times more energy than marriage.
Koizumi had custody of two of his three sons: Kōtarō Koizumi
Kotaro Koizumi
Kotaro Koizumi is a Japanese actor and the eldest son of the former Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, and Kayoko Miyamoto....
and Shinjirō Koizumi
Shinjirō Koizumi
is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party. He is the second son of former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and younger brother of actor Kotaro Koizumi. He was elected into his father's former seat representing the Kanagawa 11th district in 2009.- External links :*...
, who were reared by one of his sisters. Shinjiro is the representative for Kanagawa's 11th district
Kanagawa's 11th district
The is a constituency of the House of Representatives in the Diet of Japan . It is located in Kanagawa Prefecture, and consists of the cities of Miura and Yokosuka. Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi served as the first representative of the constituency from 1994. Koizumi announced that he...
, a position his father has also filled. The youngest son, Yoshinaga Miyamoto, now a graduate of Keio University, was born following the divorce and has never met Koizumi. The third son is known to have attended one of Koizumi's rallies, but was turned away from trying to meet his father. He was also turned away from attending his paternal grandmother's funeral.
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
, the heavy metal band X Japan
X Japan
is a Japanese heavy metal band founded in 1982 by Yoshiki and Toshi. Originally named X , the group achieved their breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second album Blue Blood...
and has released a CD of his favorite pieces by contemporary Italian composer Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
.
Koizumi is also a noted fan of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, with whom he shares a birthday (January 8). In 2001 he released a collection of his favorite Elvis songs on CD, with his comments about each song. His brother is Senior Advisor of the Tokyo Elvis Fan Club. Koizumi and his brother helped finance a statue of Elvis in Tokyo's Harajuku
Harajuku
Harajuku is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan....
district. On June 30, 2006, Koizumi visited Presley's estate, Graceland
Graceland
Graceland is a large white-columned mansion and estate that was home to Elvis Presley in Memphis, Tennessee. It is located at 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard in the vast Whitehaven community about 9 miles from Downtown and less than four miles north of the Mississippi border. It currently serves as...
, accompanied by U.S. President George W. Bush, and First Lady Laura Bush. After arriving in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
aboard Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
, they headed to Graceland. While there, Koizumi briefly sang a few bars of his favourite Elvis tunes, whilst warmly impersonating Presley, and wearing Presley's trademark oversized golden sunglasses.
Koizumi also appreciates Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
composer Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
. He and Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen
Matti Vanhanen
Matti Taneli Vanhanen is a Finnish politician. He is a former Prime Minister of Finland and a former Chairman of the Centre Party. In the second half of 2006 he was President of the European Council. In his earlier career he was a journalist...
visited the Sibelius' home
Ainola
Ainola, meaning "Aino's land", was the home of Jean Sibelius, his wife Aino and their family from the fall of 1904 until 1972. It stands on the scenic shores of Lake Tuusula in Järvenpää, 38 kilometers north of Helsinki, the Finnish capital. It was designed by the famous Finnish architect Lars Sonck...
on September 8, 2006. There Koizumi showed respect to the late composer with a moment of silence. He owns reproductions of the manuscripts of all seven symphonies by Sibelius.
In 2009, Koizumi made a voice acting
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
appearance in an Ultraman
Ultraman
is Japanese television series that first aired in 1966. Ultraman, the first and best-known of the "Ultra-Crusaders," made his debut in the tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series, , a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q...
feature film, Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legend The Movie
Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legend The Movie
is a Japanese film in Tsuburaya Productions' 43 year old Ultra Series franchise, known for its star Ultraman. The film premiered in theaters on December 12, 2009, distributed by Warner Bros. Entertainment Japan. The catchphrase for the movie is . The film is also referred to as Large Monster: The...
, playing the voice of Ultraman King
Ultraman King
is a fictional character and is one of the legendary heroes of the Ultraman Universe. In the 2009 film Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy, Ultraman King is voiced by former Prime Minister of Japan Junichiro Koizumi....
. Koizumi said he took on the role at the urging of his son Shinjiro.
He has been compared many times to American actor Richard Gere
Richard Gere
Richard Tiffany Gere is an American actor. He began acting in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and a starring role in Days of Heaven. He came to prominence in 1980 for his role in the film American Gigolo, which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol...
, because of their similar hair style. In 2005, he used the latter as a boost for his falling popularity, by staging an "impromptu ballroom dance performance."
Koizumi cabinets
| First (April 26, 2001) | First, Realigned (September 30, 2002) | Second (November 19, 2003) | Second, Realigned (September 22, 2004) | Third, Realigned (October 31, 2005) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secretary Chief Cabinet Secretary __notoc__The of Japan is a Minister of State who is responsible for directing the Cabinet Secretariat. The main function of Chief Cabinet Secretary is to coordinate the policies of ministries and agencies in the executive branch... |
Yasuo Fukuda Yasuo Fukuda was the 91st Prime Minister of Japan, serving from 2007 to 2008. He was previously the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history, serving for three and a half years under Prime Ministers Yoshirō Mori and Junichiro Koizumi.... 4 |
Hiroyuki Hosoda Hiroyuki Hosoda is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . From 2004 to 2005, he was the Chief Cabinet Secretary in Junichiro Koizumi's Cabinets, succeeded by Shinzō Abe on October 31, 2005.... |
Shinzō Abe Shinzo Abe was the 90th Prime Minister of Japan, elected by a special session of the National Diet on 26 September 2006. He was Japan's youngest post–World War II prime minister and the first born after the war. Abe served as prime minister for nearly twelve months, before resigning on 12 September 2007... |
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| Internal Affairs | Toranosuke Katayama | Taro Aso Taro Aso was the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan serving from September 2008 to September 2009, and was defeated in the August 2009 election.He has served in the House of Representatives since 1979. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007, and was Secretary-General of the LDP briefly in 2007 and... |
Heizō Takenaka Heizo Takenaka is a Japanese economist and retired politician, last serving as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications and Minister of State for Privatization of the Postal Services in the cabinet of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi... 3 |
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| Justice | Mayumi Moriyama Mayumi Moriyama is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . A native of Tokyo and graduate of the University of Tokyo she worked at the Ministry of Labor from 1950 to 1980... |
Daizō Nozawa Daizō Nozawa is a politician of Japan who served as the Justice Minister of Japan from 2003 to 2004.Nozawa graduated from University of Tokyo with the degree of bachelor of civil engineering and joined Japanese National Railways in 1956. During his career at JNR, he obtained the degree of Ph. D. He was first... |
Chieko Nohno Chieko Nohno is a Japanese politician. In some English-language Japanese newspapers her family name is romanized as Noono.She was born in Manchuria in 1935 and moved back to Kagoshima at the end of the war. She graduated from Kagoshima Konan High School in 1954 and attended the School of Midwifery attached to... |
Seiken Sugiura Seiken Sugiura Seiken Sugiura is a Japanese politician. He was named Minister of Justice on October 31, 2005 and served in the cabinet of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Being a Buddhist, he imposed a moratorium on executions during his time as Justice Minister... |
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| Foreign Affairs | Makiko Tanaka Makiko Tanaka is a Japanese politician, the daughter of former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka.Tanaka attended high school at Germantown Friends School in the United States and graduated from Waseda University... 1 |
Yoriko Kawaguchi Yoriko Kawaguchi is a Japanese politician. She was born in Tokyo. She holds a B.A. in international relations from the University of Tokyo, and a master's in economics from Yale University. She was the minister of the environment of Japan from 2000 until 2002 and the foreign minister of Japan from February 2002... |
Nobutaka Machimura Nobutaka Machimura is a Japanese politician. He is a member of the House of Representatives of Japan and a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He was Chief Cabinet Secretary in the government of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda from 2007 to 2008.- Career :... |
Taro Aso Taro Aso was the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan serving from September 2008 to September 2009, and was defeated in the August 2009 election.He has served in the House of Representatives since 1979. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007, and was Secretary-General of the LDP briefly in 2007 and... |
|
| Finance | Masajuro Shiokawa Masajuro Shiokawa is a Japanese politician.Born in Fuse City , Osaka Prefecture, he graduated from the economics faculty of Keio University in 1944 and founded the Mitsuaki Corporation in 1946.... |
Sadakazu Tanigaki Sadakazu Tanigaki is a conservative Japanese politician who served as Minister of Finance from 2003 to 2006, in the cabinet of Jun'ichirō Koizumi. He also served as Minister of Construction and Transport in the cabinet of Yasuo Fukuda and is serving his ninth term as a member of the House of Representatives,... |
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| Education | Atsuko Toyama | Takeo Kawamura Takeo Kawamura (politician) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . A native of Hagi, Yamaguchi and graduate of Keio University, he worked at Seibu Oil from 1967 to 1976... |
Nariaki Nakayama Nariaki Nakayama is a Japanese politician. He served as Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in the Cabinet of Junichiro Koizumi and later as Minister of Land，Infrastructure，Transport and Tourism under Taro Aso... |
Kenji Kosaka Kenji Kosaka is a Japanese politician. He was appointed Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology on October 31, 2005.- Biography :Kenji Kosaka worked in London as top level office manager for JAL in the 1980s. Returning to Japan he became secretary to the then Prime Minister, Yasuhiro... |
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| Health Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan) The , or , is the Cabinet of Japan member in charge of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. As of 2 September 2011, the current minister is Yoko Komiyama.-References:... |
Chikara Sakaguchi Chikara Sakaguchi is a Japanese politician.He was born in Mie Prefecture and obtained an MD from Mie University. In 1976, he ran for the House of Representatives as a member of Komeitō, and won a proportional representation seat from the Tokai bloc.... |
Hidehisa Otsuji Hidehisa Otsuji was the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare in the Cabinet of Junichiro Koizumi.- Upbringing :He was born in Kaseda City in Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. His father was killed in World War II in fighting near the Solomon Islands.... |
Jirō Kawasaki Jiro Kawasaki is a Japanese politician who served as Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare under Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.Kawasaki was born in Shiogama, Miyagi. His father and grandfather were both politicians.... |
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| Agriculture | Tsutomu Takebe Tsutomu Takebe was secretary general of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party from 2004 to 2006. He was succeeded by Hidenao Nakagawa.-References:... |
Tadamori Oshima Tadamori Oshima is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . A native of Hachinohe, Aomori and graduate of Keio University, he worked at the national newspaper Mainichi Shimbun from 1970 to 1974 and was elected to the assembly of Aomori Prefecture... 2 |
Yoshiyuki Kamei Yoshiyuki Kamei was a Japanese politician and member of the House of Representatives of Japan representing Kanagawa Prefecture. Keio University graduation.He was Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in the cabinet of Junichiro Koizumi, before being replaced by Yoshinobu Shimamura.-References:*... |
Yoshinobu Shimamura Yoshinobu Shimamura is a Japanese politician and current Leader of the Opposition.Born in Edogawa, Tokyo in Tokyo, he graduated from the Faculty of Politics & Economics at Gakushuin University in 1956 and then entered ENEOS, a Japanese oil company... |
Shoichi Nakagawa Shoichi Nakagawa was a Japanese conservative politician in the Liberal Democratic Party , who served as Minister of Finance from September 24, 2008 to February 17, 2009. He previously held the posts of Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in the cabinet of... |
| Economy Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (Japan) The is the Cabinet of Japan member in charge of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry . The current Minister is Banri Kaieda.-List of Ministers of Economy, Trade and Industry:... |
Takeo Hiranuma Takeo Hiranuma Takeo Hiranuma is a Japanese politician. He advocates historical revisionism regarding the Nanking Massacre.- Basic biography :... |
Shōichi Nakagawa Shoichi Nakagawa was a Japanese conservative politician in the Liberal Democratic Party , who served as Minister of Finance from September 24, 2008 to February 17, 2009. He previously held the posts of Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in the cabinet of... |
Toshihiro Nikai Toshihiro Nikai is a Japanese politician. He was the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party , Nikai is currently serving in his eighth term in the Lower House representing Wakayama's Third District.... |
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| Land | Chikage Oogi Chikage Oogi , real name , real name , real name (born 10 May 1933 as , is a Japanese actress and politician. During her 30-year-long political career, she experienced some important posts. She became the first female President of the House of Councillors in 2004.... |
Nobuteru Ishihara Nobuteru Ishihara is a Japanese politician.He was born in Zushi, Kanagawa, the son of author Shintaro Ishihara . He attended Keio Gijuku High School and graduated from the literature faculty of Keio University in 1981... |
Kazuo Kitagawa Kazuo Kitagawa was the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in the Japanese Cabinet of Junichiro Koizumi.Born in Ikuno-ku, Osaka, Kitagawa graduated from Faculty of Law, Soka University and became a lawyer. In 1990, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time and since 2004 has... |
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| Environment Minister of the environment An environment minister is a cabinet position in charged with protecting the natural environment and promoting wildlife conservation... |
Hiroshi Oki 1 | Shunichi Suzuki Shunichi Suzuki (politician) is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. A native of Iwate Prefecture and graduate of Waseda University, he was elected for the first time in 1990.... |
Yuriko Koike Yuriko Koike is a Japanese politician, who was the Minister of Defense in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but resigned August 27, 2007 after only 54 days in office... |
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| Public Safety National Public Safety Commission (Japan) The is a Japanese Cabinet Office commission. It is headquartered in the 2nd Building of the Central Common Government Office at 2-1-2 Kasumigasaeki in Chiyoda, Tokyo.... |
Jin Murai Jin Murai is the governor of Nagano Prefecture in Japan. After growing up in Matsumoto, Nagano, he graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1959 and entered the Ministry of International Trade and Industry upon graduation. In 1986 he was elected to the House of Representatives in the Diet for the first time... |
Sadakazu Tanigaki Sadakazu Tanigaki is a conservative Japanese politician who served as Minister of Finance from 2003 to 2006, in the cabinet of Jun'ichirō Koizumi. He also served as Minister of Construction and Transport in the cabinet of Yasuo Fukuda and is serving his ninth term as a member of the House of Representatives,... |
Kiyoko Ono Kiyoko Ono is a Japanese politician. She also represented Japan in Tokyo Olympic Games as an artistic gymnast.-Politician:Kiyoko won the election in 1986 and was one of the members in the House of Councillors for 1986 to 2007.... |
Yoshitaka Murata Yoshitaka Murata is the Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, the Minister of State for Disaster Management and the Minister of State for National Emergency Legislation in Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Cabinet.... |
Tetsuo Kutsukake Tetsuo Kutsukake is a Japanese politician. He was named Minister of State,Chairman of National Public Safety Commission on October 31, 2005.-Source:http://www.senkyo.janjan.jp/bin/candidate/profile/profile.php?id=60171... |
| Disaster Prevention | Yoshitada Konoike Yoshitada Konoike is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, and was a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet . A native of Amagasaki, Hyōgo and graduate of Waseda University, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1986 after an unsuccessful run in 1983... |
Kiichi Inoue Kiichi Inoue was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . A native of Kasai, Hyōgo and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 1955. He was elected to the House of Representatives for... |
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| Defense Japan Defense Agency The is a cabinet-level ministry of the Japanese government. As a result of a law enacted on December 15, 2006, it became a ministry on January 9, 2007. Prior to that, it was the Japan Defense Agency ... |
Gen Nakatani Gen Nakatani Gen Nakatani is a Japanese politician who served as head of the Japan Defense Agency in the first cabinet of Junichiro Koizumi.... |
Shigeru Ishiba Shigeru Ishiba Shigeru Ishiba is a Japanese politician. He was Minister of Defense under Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda from 2007 to 2008 and was also Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.... |
Yoshinori Ohno Yoshinori Ohno Yoshinori Ono was Japan's Minister of State for Defense in Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's third Cabinet. He is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.- External links :* *... |
Fukushiro Nukaga Fukushiro Nukaga is a Japanese politician and a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 1983 and represents Ibaraki's 2nd district. He was Minister of Finance from 2007 to 2008.... |
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| Economic Policy | Heizō Takenaka Heizo Takenaka is a Japanese economist and retired politician, last serving as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications and Minister of State for Privatization of the Postal Services in the cabinet of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi... 3 |
Heizō Takenaka Heizo Takenaka is a Japanese economist and retired politician, last serving as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications and Minister of State for Privatization of the Postal Services in the cabinet of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi... |
Heizō Takenaka Heizo Takenaka is a Japanese economist and retired politician, last serving as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications and Minister of State for Privatization of the Postal Services in the cabinet of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi... |
Kaoru Yosano Kaoru Yosano is a Japanese politician. He was a member of Liberal Democratic Party , the Sunrise Party of Japan and former member of the House of Representatives, serving his ninth term in the Lower House representing Tokyo's first electoral district until his defeat in the Japanese general election, 2009... |
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| Financial Affairs | Hakuo Yanagisawa Hakuo Yanagisawa was the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan . He is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party and a member of the House of Representatives. His constituency is Shizuoka Prefecture 3rd District.... |
Tatsuya Ito Tatsuya Ito is the Minister of State for Financial Services in Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Cabinet.Born in Tokyo, Ito graduated from Faculty of Law, Keio-Gijuku University and joined Matsushita Institute of Government and Management in 1984... |
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| Admin. and Reg. Reform | Nobuteru Ishihara Nobuteru Ishihara is a Japanese politician.He was born in Zushi, Kanagawa, the son of author Shintaro Ishihara . He attended Keio Gijuku High School and graduated from the literature faculty of Keio University in 1981... |
Kazuyoshi Kaneko Kazuyoshi Kaneko is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . A native of Takayama, Gifu and graduate of Keio University, he was elected for the first time in 1986. His father is former Minister of Finance Ippei Kaneko.- External links :* in... |
Seiichiro Murakami Seiichiro Murakami was the Minister of State for Regulatory Reform,the Minister of State for Industrial Revitalization Corporation of Japan, the Minister of State for Administrative Reform, the Minister of State for Special Zones for Structural Reform and the Minister of State for Regional Revitalization in Japanese... |
Kōki Chūma Koki Chuma is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. A native of Osaka, Osaka and graduate of the University of Tokyo he was elected for the first time in 1976 as a member of the now-defunct party New Liberal Club. His father is... |
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| Technology | Koji Omi Koji Omi is a Japanese politician, served as Minister of Finance in the cabinet of Shinzō Abe.Omi was born in Numata, Gunma Prefecture and graduated with a degree in Commerce from Hitotsubashi University. He joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry and later served as consul general of Japan... |
Hiroyuki Hosoda Hiroyuki Hosoda is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . From 2004 to 2005, he was the Chief Cabinet Secretary in Junichiro Koizumi's Cabinets, succeeded by Shinzō Abe on October 31, 2005.... |
Toshimitsu Motegi Toshimitsu Motegi is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party , Tsushima Facation, and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet... |
Yasufumi Tanahashi Yasufumi Tanahashi is a Japanese politician. He was the Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy, the Minister of State for Food Safety and the Minister of State for Information Technology in Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Cabinet.... |
Iwao Matsuda Iwao Matsuda is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet . A native of Gifu, Gifu and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1960, attending the University of London while in the ministry... |
| Youth and Gender | Kuniko Inoguchi Kuniko Inoguchi is a Japanese political scientist and politician. She was serving as Minister of State for Gender Equality and Social Affairs.- Careers as a researcher :... |
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Notes:
- Makiko TanakaMakiko Tanakais a Japanese politician, the daughter of former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka.Tanaka attended high school at Germantown Friends School in the United States and graduated from Waseda University...
was fired on January 29, 2002. Koizumi served as interim foreign minister until February 1, when he appointed then-environment minister Yoriko KawaguchiYoriko Kawaguchiis a Japanese politician. She was born in Tokyo. She holds a B.A. in international relations from the University of Tokyo, and a master's in economics from Yale University. She was the minister of the environment of Japan from 2000 until 2002 and the foreign minister of Japan from February 2002...
to the post. Koizumi appointed Hiroshi Oki to replace Kawaguchi. - Oshima resigned on March 31, 2003 due to a farm-subsidy scandal. He was replaced by Kamei, who was kept in the next reshuffle.
- Takenaka has also held the portfolio of Minister of State for Postal Privatization since the first Koizumi cabinet. He is the only person to serve on Koizumi's cabinet through all five reshuffles.
- Fukuda resigned on May 7, 2004 and was replaced by Hosoda.
External links
- Speeches and Statements by Junichiro Koizumi
- Profile of Prime Minister Koizumi
- Yasukuni Shrine official website
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