Yamato Inaba (稲葉 大和, Inaba Yamato; born 12 November 1943) is a former Japanese politician, who was a member of House of…Yamato Inaba (稲葉 大和, Inaba Yamato; born 12 November 1943) is a former Japanese politician, who was a member of House of Representatives and the Liberal Democratic Party. Born in Chiyoda, Tokyo he graduated from Chuo University in 1966. He was elected for the first time in 1993 after an unsuccessful run in 1990. He represented the 3rd District of Niigata Prefecture until 2009.
Takaaki Yamazaki (山崎 孝明, Yamazaki Takaaki; 13 October 1943 – 12 April 2023) was a Japanese politician who was the mayor…Takaaki Yamazaki (山崎 孝明, Yamazaki Takaaki; 13 October 1943 – 12 April 2023) was a Japanese politician who was the mayor of Kōtō, Tokyo. He was also an advisor to the head of the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee.
Kenji Yamaoka (山岡 賢次, Yamaoka Kenji; born 25 April 1943) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of…Kenji Yamaoka (山岡 賢次, Yamaoka Kenji; born 25 April 1943) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), who served as a member of the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Tadatoshi Akiba (秋葉 忠利, Akiba Tadatoshi; born November 3, 1942 in Arakawa, Tokyo) is a Japanese mathematician and…Tadatoshi Akiba (秋葉 忠利, Akiba Tadatoshi; born November 3, 1942 in Arakawa, Tokyo) is a Japanese mathematician and politician and served as the mayor of the city of Hiroshima, Japan from 1999 to 2011.
Eitaro Itoyama (糸山 英太郎, Itoyama Eitarō; born 4 June 1942 in Tokyo, Japan) is one of Japan's wealthiest citizens with a…Eitaro Itoyama (糸山 英太郎, Itoyama Eitarō; born 4 June 1942 in Tokyo, Japan) is one of Japan's wealthiest citizens with a fortune estimated to exceed $500 million. He is a controversial figure in Japanese political and commercial life. Itoyama has served four terms as a member of the Diet, the Japanese Parliament with nearly twenty years of active involvement in the ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party. He was a principal figure in a 1974 bribery scandal that resulted in the arrests of more than 90 people, including a senior vice president of Itoyama's company, and Peter Herzog characterized Itoyama as "one of the worst offenders" in having a "cavalier attitude" toward Japanese election laws. In 1989, he was ranked 10th on Forbes' list of the world's richest billionaires, but had fallen off by 1991. Itoyama became the single largest shareholder in Japan Airlines in February 1998 and publicly called for significant changes to management and business structures. He traveled to the United States and began negotiating the sale of JAL hotel properties such as the Ihilani Resort & Spa in Honolulu and the Essex House in New York, despite having no actual authority to do so. JAL management moved to compromise with Itoyama by appointing him Special Adviser to the Chief Executive Officer in exchange for Itoyama's giving up the right to object to management decisions at shareholder meetings. He sold half of his JAL stake on the open market in 2006 after the company failed to pay dividends for two years in a row. He is a best-selling author, with books on political and business subjects, and is the chairman and benefactor of an eponymous educational institution.
Akiko Santō (山東 昭子, Santō Akiko; born 11 May 1942) is a Japanese politician who served as President of the House of…Akiko Santō (山東 昭子, Santō Akiko; born 11 May 1942) is a Japanese politician who served as President of the House of Councillors from 2019 to 2022. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, she was previously the vice president of the House of Councillors from 2007 to 2010.
Takeshi Noda (野田 毅, Noda Takeshi; born 3 October 1941) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party…Takeshi Noda (野田 毅, Noda Takeshi; born 3 October 1941) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Yoriko Kawaguchi (川口 順子, Kawaguchi Yoriko; born 14 January 1941) is a Japanese politician and former economist, who…Yoriko Kawaguchi (川口 順子, Kawaguchi Yoriko; born 14 January 1941) is a Japanese politician and former economist, who served as a Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2002 to 2004 and continued as a special advisor to then-Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for foreign affairs from 2004 to 2005. A member of Liberal Democratic Party, she previously served as a Japanese Minister of the Environment from 2000 to 2002. She was also a member of the House of Councillors for Liberal Democratic Party from 2005 to 2013. In July 2008, she was appointed co-chair of a new International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, with former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans. Currently, she is a professor at Meiji Institute for Global Affairs, Meiji University in Tokyo.
Haruko Yoshikawa (吉川 春子, Yoshikawa Haruko; born November 26, 1940) is a Japanese politician and former member of the…Haruko Yoshikawa (吉川 春子, Yoshikawa Haruko; born November 26, 1940) is a Japanese politician and former member of the House of Councillors for the Japanese Communist Party.
Kyoko Nakayama (中山 恭子, Nakayama Kyōko; born 26 January 1940) is a Japanese politician and a former leader of the Party…Kyoko Nakayama (中山 恭子, Nakayama Kyōko; born 26 January 1940) is a Japanese politician and a former leader of the Party for Japanese Kokoro. In the past she has been a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Sunrise Party of Japan and Japan Restoration Party and is serving her second term as a member of the House of Councillors (Upper House) in the Diet (national legislature). She was Special Advisor to the Prime Minister (naikaku sōri-daijin hosakan) for the North Korean abduction issue under Junichiro Koizumi, beginning in 2002. She left the post in 2004 but was reappointed by Shinzō Abe in 2006. She was appointed by Yasuo Fukuda as State Minister in charge of the Population and Gender Equality Issues on August 1, 2008.
Shigeru Uchida (Japanese: 内田茂 Uchida Shigeru; 15 March 1939 – 21 December 2022) was a Japanese politician. A member of…Shigeru Uchida (Japanese: 内田茂 Uchida Shigeru; 15 March 1939 – 21 December 2022) was a Japanese politician. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he served as chairman of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly from 2003 to 2005. Uchida died in Tokyo on 21 December 2022, at the age of 83.
Yōhei Kōno (河野 洋平, Kōno Yōhei; 15 January 1937 – 8 June 2026) was a Japanese politician who was President of the…Yōhei Kōno (河野 洋平, Kōno Yōhei; 15 January 1937 – 8 June 2026) was a Japanese politician who was President of the Liberal Democratic Party. He served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from November 2003 until August 2009, when the LDP lost its majority in the 2009 election. Kōno served as speaker for the longest length since the set up of House of Representatives in 1890. Kōno was the president of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations from 1999 to 2013.
Sadao Yamahana (山花 貞夫, Yamahana Sadao; 26 February 1936 – 14 July 1999) was a Japanese politician who served as…Sadao Yamahana (山花 貞夫, Yamahana Sadao; 26 February 1936 – 14 July 1999) was a Japanese politician who served as chairman of the Japan Socialist Party from January 1993 to September 1993. Yamahana led his party into coalition with other opposition parties to form the first non-LDP cabinet since 1955, led by Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa. Yamahana served as Minister in charge of political reform in the same cabinet. Yamahana later left the Socialists and became a founding member of the Democratic Party.
Kayoko Shimizu (清水嘉与子) (born November 9, 1935) is a Japanese politician and nurse. She has served as the Minister of…Kayoko Shimizu (清水嘉与子) (born November 9, 1935) is a Japanese politician and nurse. She has served as the Minister of the Environment Agency (37th and 38th terms) and a member of the House of Councillors (3 terms), as well as various other governmental and political party positions.
Takashi Sasagawa (笹川 堯, Sasagawa Takashi; born 5 October 1935) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal…Takashi Sasagawa (笹川 堯, Sasagawa Takashi; born 5 October 1935) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Kosuke Hori (保利 耕輔, Hori Kōsuke; 23 September 1934 – 4 November 2023) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal…Kosuke Hori (保利 耕輔, Hori Kōsuke; 23 September 1934 – 4 November 2023) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Tokyo and graduate of Keio University, he was elected for the first time in 1979. He served as Minister of Education in 1990 and as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications from 1999 to 2000. Hori was appointed head of the LDP's Policy Research Council on 1 August 2008. Hori died from aspiration pneumonia on 4 November 2023, at the age of 89.
Wakako Hironaka (広中 和歌子, Hironaka Wakako; born 11 May 1934, Tokyo) is a Japanese writer and politician. She served four…Wakako Hironaka (広中 和歌子, Hironaka Wakako; born 11 May 1934, Tokyo) is a Japanese writer and politician. She served four terms in the House of Councillors, the upper house of the national Diet, from 1986 until 2010. Her husband is Heisuke Hironaka, a mathematician.
Tsuyako Ōno (February 27, 1934 - January 26, 2021) was a Japanese politician who served two terms in the House of…Tsuyako Ōno (February 27, 1934 - January 26, 2021) was a Japanese politician who served two terms in the House of Councillors from 1996 to 2006. Her son was elected to the same legislative body in 2013. In 1996, Ōno was elected to fill her husband's seat in the Upper House, on behalf of the Liberal Democratic Party; the seat represented Gifu Prefecture. She won the 2001 election for the same district.
Sumiko Takahara (16 June 1933 – 19 August 2001) was an economist, Japanese Ambassador (to Finland, 1995–1998), chief of…Sumiko Takahara (16 June 1933 – 19 August 2001) was an economist, Japanese Ambassador (to Finland, 1995–1998), chief of the now-defunct Economic Planning Agency, and the first female president of Japanese baseball’s Central League (March 1998 – December 2000).
Yukio Aoshima (青島 幸男, Aoshima Yukio; 17 July 1932 – 20 December 2006) was a Japanese politician who served as Governor…Yukio Aoshima (青島 幸男, Aoshima Yukio; 17 July 1932 – 20 December 2006) was a Japanese politician who served as Governor of Tokyo from 1995 to 1999. He is also well known as a TV actor, novelist, film director, screenwriter and songwriter.
Hirohisa Fujii (Japanese: 藤井 裕久, Hepburn: Fujii Hirohisa; 24 June 1932 – 10 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who…Hirohisa Fujii (Japanese: 藤井 裕久, Hepburn: Fujii Hirohisa; 24 June 1932 – 10 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who was a member of the House of Councillors from 1977 to 1986, and of the House of Representatives from 1990 to 2012. He served two terms as Minister of Finance, and as Secretary General of the Liberal Party and the Democratic Party of Japan.
Tetsuzo Fuwa (不破 哲三, Fuwa Tetsuzō; 26 January 1930 – 30 December 2025) was the pen name of Kenjiro Ueda (上田 建二郎, Ueda…Tetsuzo Fuwa (不破 哲三, Fuwa Tetsuzō; 26 January 1930 – 30 December 2025) was the pen name of Kenjiro Ueda (上田 建二郎, Ueda Kenjirō), a member and chairman of the Japanese Communist Party. He was a graduate of Tokyo University. He joined the Communist Party in 1947, and was elected to the House of Representatives in 1969.
Huang Hsin-chieh (Chinese: 黃信介; 20 August 1928 – 30 November 1999) was a Taiwanese politician, Taipei city council…Huang Hsin-chieh (Chinese: 黃信介; 20 August 1928 – 30 November 1999) was a Taiwanese politician, Taipei city council member, National Assembly representative, Legislative Yuan legislator, publisher of Formosa Magazine and Taiwan Political Theory magazine (台灣政論), senior Dangwai Leader, third chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and senior adviser to the president of the Republic of China. He was born on August 20, 1928, during the period when Taiwan was under Japanese governance also known to the Japanese as the Japan governance period of Taiwan and was fluent in Japanese and Taiwanese. He married Chang Yueh-ching (張月卿) in 1954 and had four children and adopted sons. They lived in a modest residence on Chongqing N. Rd in Datong District, Taipei City for over three decades. On November 30, 1999, he died of a heart attack in Taipei at the age of 71. He was buried in Bali District, President Lee Teng-hui on January 18, 2000, awarded Huang Hsin-chieh the posthumous citation for activities to promote political reform, nation building, and democracy advancement. Lee's successor Chen Shui-bian established a memorial lecture at the Ketagalan Institute in Huang Hsin-chieh's memory to promote deeper democracy through lectures ranging from constitutional reform to China-Taiwan-US relations.
Mayumi Moriyama (森山 眞弓, Moriyama Mayumi; 7 November 1927 – 14 October 2021) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal…Mayumi Moriyama (森山 眞弓, Moriyama Mayumi; 7 November 1927 – 14 October 2021) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Tatsuro Matsumae (Japanese: 松前達郎 Matsumae Tatsurō; 19 February 1927 – 8 September 2024) was a Japanese academic and…Tatsuro Matsumae (Japanese: 松前達郎 Matsumae Tatsurō; 19 February 1927 – 8 September 2024) was a Japanese academic and politician. A member of the Japan Socialist Party and the Democratic Party, he served in the House of Councillors from 1977 to 2001. Matsumae died of pneumonia in Hachiōji, on 8 September 2024, at the age of 97.
Fumitake Kishida (Japanese: 岸田 文武, Hepburn: Kishida Fumitake; 19 August 1926 – 4 August 1992) was a Japanese…Fumitake Kishida (Japanese: 岸田 文武, Hepburn: Kishida Fumitake; 19 August 1926 – 4 August 1992) was a Japanese politician. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he served as member of the House of Representatives (5 terms). He was also a recipient of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun. His father was Masaki Kishida, a former member of the House of Representatives of the Liberal Democratic Party and Director-General of the Securities Bureau of the Ministry of Finance. His younger brother was Shunsuke Kishida, Chairman and Advisor of Hiroshima Bank. His wife, Sumiko Iguchi, was the second daughter of Ryoji Iguchi, former president of Nitto Flour Mills. His eldest son was Fumio Kishida, a member of the House of Representatives, the 27th President of the Liberal Democratic Party, and the 100th and 101st Prime Minister of Japan. He belonged to the Kōchikai faction.
Yozo Ishikawa (石川 要三, Ishikawa Yōzō; 6 July 1925 – 21 June 2014) was a Japanese lawmaker and a member of the Liberal…Yozo Ishikawa (石川 要三, Ishikawa Yōzō; 6 July 1925 – 21 June 2014) was a Japanese lawmaker and a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He served as director general of the now-defunct defense agency of Japan in 1990.
Kiichi Miyazawa (宮澤 喜一, Miyazawa Kiichi; 8 October 1919 – 28 June 2007) was a Japanese politician who served as prime…Kiichi Miyazawa (宮澤 喜一, Miyazawa Kiichi; 8 October 1919 – 28 June 2007) was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1991 to 1993. Born in Tokyo, Miyazawa graduated from Tokyo Imperial University with a law degree, and in 1942 joined the Ministry of Finance. He was first elected to the National Diet in 1953 and held a number of prominent posts, including international trade and industry minister under Eisaku Sato, foreign minister under Takeo Miki, director of the Economic Planning Agency under Takeo Fukuda, chief cabinet secretary under Yasuhiro Nakasone, and finance minister under Noboru Takeshita. Miyazawa became prime minister in 1991, but was forced to resign after the 1993 election after a failure to pass political reforms caused his Liberal Democratic Party to face its first defeat in a national election since its formation in 1955. Miyazawa later returned as finance minister from 1999 to 2001 in the cabinets of Keizō Obuchi and Yoshirō Mori.
Tenkōkō Sonoda (園田 天光光, Sonoda Tenkōkō; 23 January 1919 – 29 January 2015) was a Japanese politician who was a member…Tenkōkō Sonoda (園田 天光光, Sonoda Tenkōkō; 23 January 1919 – 29 January 2015) was a Japanese politician who was a member of the Japanese Diet from 1946–1952. In 1950, she became the first woman in Japanese political history to have a baby while in office.
Iichirō Hatoyama (鳩山 威一郎, Hatoyama Iichirō; November 11, 1918 – December 19, 1993) was a Japanese politician and…Iichirō Hatoyama (鳩山 威一郎, Hatoyama Iichirō; November 11, 1918 – December 19, 1993) was a Japanese politician and diplomat. Between 1976 and 1977, he served as Foreign Minister under Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda. He was the son and father of two former Prime Ministers, Ichirō and Yukio respectively.
Kakuei Tanaka (田中 角栄, Tanaka Kakuei; IPA: [ta̠na̠ka̠ ka̠kɯ̟e̞ː]; 4 May 1918 – 16 December 1993) was a Japanese…Kakuei Tanaka (田中 角栄, Tanaka Kakuei; IPA: [ta̠na̠ka̠ ka̠kɯ̟e̞ː]; 4 May 1918 – 16 December 1993) was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1972 to 1974. Known for his background in construction and earthy and tenacious political style, Tanaka is the only modern Japanese prime minister who did not finish high school or graduate from a university. Born in Niigata Prefecture to a poor farmer, Tanaka left school at age 14. He later received an engineering education and founded his own construction company in 1936. In 1940, he was drafted into the army and served in Manchuria until 1941; during the Pacific War, he made a fortune from government contracts. After the war, Tanaka was first elected to the National Diet in 1947. He joined the Liberal Democratic Party on its foundation in 1955, and held a series of cabinet positions, including posts as telecommunications minister from 1957 to 1958, finance minister from 1962 to 1965, and international trade and industry minister from 1971 to 1972. He built up a large faction in the party by political maneuvering and extensive use of money. After a power struggle with Takeo Fukuda, Tanaka succeeded Eisaku Satō as prime minister in 1972. Domestically, he pursued his "Plan to Remodel the Japanese Archipelago", an infrastructure development program, before it was shelved due to inflation and the 1973 oil crisis. In 1972, Tanaka established relations with the People's Republic of China. Although he had entered office with a very high popularity rating, this declined quickly amid allegations of corruption before his resignation in 1974. In 1976, Tanaka was arrested and charged with taking ¥500 million in bribes in the Lockheed scandal, and in 1983 was sentenced to four years in prison. However, Tanaka remained free on appeal to the Supreme Court until his death in 1993. Throughout his legal problems, he maintained influence through his faction, the largest faction in the LDP, and continued to serve as kingmaker for subsequent premiers, which earned him the nickname "Shadow Shogun" among others. A debilitating stroke he suffered in 1985 led to the collapse of his political faction, with most members regrouping under the leadership of Noboru Takeshita in 1987.
Shizue Yamaguchi (Japanese: 山口シヅエ; 31 October 1917 – 3 April 2012) was a Japanese physician and politician. She was one…Shizue Yamaguchi (Japanese: 山口シヅエ; 31 October 1917 – 3 April 2012) was a Japanese physician and politician. She was one of the first group of women elected to the House of Representatives in 1946.
Kōji Harashima (原島 宏治, Harashima Kōji; 4 December 1909 – 9 December 1964) was a Japanese politician and religious…Kōji Harashima (原島 宏治, Harashima Kōji; 4 December 1909 – 9 December 1964) was a Japanese politician and religious leader who briefly served as the first leader of Komeito, in addition to a serving as a board chairman for Soka Gakkai. He served in several other capacities throughout his career as well.
Ryokichi Minobe (美濃部 亮吉, Minobe Ryōkichi; 5 February 1904 – 24 December 1984) was a Japanese economist, educator, and…Ryokichi Minobe (美濃部 亮吉, Minobe Ryōkichi; 5 February 1904 – 24 December 1984) was a Japanese economist, educator, and socialist politician who served as Governor of Tokyo from 1967 to 1979.
Toshio Irie (入江 俊郎, Irie Toshio; January 10, 1901 – July 18, 1972) was a Japanese bureaucrat and politician. Born and…Toshio Irie (入江 俊郎, Irie Toshio; January 10, 1901 – July 18, 1972) was a Japanese bureaucrat and politician. Born and raised in Tokyo, Toshio attended Tokyo University and joined the Home Affairs Ministry on graduation. He became Counselor for the Bureau of Legislation in 1927, and served in various posts there. In 1946, under Yoshida Shigeru Toshio was promoted to Director-General of the Bureau. In this role, he assisted in drafting the reforms to the post-war Constitution of Japan, and served on the Cabinet's committee for dealing with legislative problems. After the enactment of the new constitution, Toshio was appointed to the House of Peers, and two years later he was promoted to Commissioner General of the House of Representatives' Legislative Bureau. He later served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan from 1952 to 1970, the longest recorded tenure in that office. After his retirement from public office in 1971, Toshio became a lecturer at Komazawa University. He died the following year.
Cho Bong-am (Korean: 조봉암; Hanja: 曺奉岩, 25 September 1898 – 31 July 1959) was a Korean socialist independence activist…Cho Bong-am (Korean: 조봉암; Hanja: 曺奉岩, 25 September 1898 – 31 July 1959) was a Korean socialist independence activist and politician, who ran for president in the South Korean presidential election in 1956. He was a founding member of the Communist Party of Korea (조선공산당; 朝鮮共産黨) and the Progressive Party (진보당; 進步黨), a moderate socialist democratic party in South Korea which was one of the country's major political forces. In 1919, Cho Bong-am participated in March 1st Movement and was imprisoned for the duration of one year. Cho Bong-am studied in Japan and the Soviet Union. In the 1920s, he was active in the Korean Communist Party. After Japanese rule, Cho left the Communist Party in 1946, criticising it for its subservience to the Soviet Union. After the end of the United States Army Military Government in Korea in 1947, Cho became the Minister of Agriculture under Syngman Rhee's presidency. In 1952, Cho ran for the presidency for the first time against sitting president Rhee, and Yi Si-yeong. He received only 0.8 million votes out of 5.2 million. The left-liberal Progressive Party was founded in the aftermath of the Korean War under Cho's leadership. Cho and his followers were able to build a wide coalition with the country's leftist forces. Cho also successfully created coalitions with right-wing forces opposed to Syngman Rhee's dictatorship. The party's founding and moderate success in Korea's hostile political environment is considered a large result of Bong-am's personal charisma. The Progressive Party advocated peaceful unification with North Korea, through strengthening the country's democratic forces and winning in a unified Korean election. Cho called for both anti-communist and anti-authoritarian politics, as well as advocating for social welfare policies for the peasants and urban poor. In the 1956 election, Cho ran against Rhee, the anti-communist strongman president. Cho lost with 30% of the vote, which exceeded expectations. Following the election, the Progressive Party broke apart due to factionalism. Three years after the election, Cho was charged with espionage and receiving funds from North Korea. His first trial resulted in an acquittal but he was convicted in a second trial and was executed on 31 July 1959. His death sentence was posthumously overturned in 2011 by the South Korean Supreme Court.
Inejiro Asanuma (浅沼 稲次郎, Asanuma Inejirō; 27 December 1898 – 12 October 1960) was a Japanese politician and chairman of…Inejiro Asanuma (浅沼 稲次郎, Asanuma Inejirō; 27 December 1898 – 12 October 1960) was a Japanese politician and chairman of the Japan Socialist Party from 23 March 1960 until his assassination the same year. Known for his large stature and powerful voice, he tirelessly toured the country delivering speeches, earning him the nicknames "speech-making everyman" (enzetsu hyakushō), "human locomotive" (ningen kikan-sha), and the affectionate "Numa-san". In the prewar years, Asanuma was a forceful advocate of socialist policies and tenant and farmer rights. During World War II, Asanuma aligned himself with the Imperial Rule Assistance Association and supported Japan's war in Asia. In the postwar period, Asanuma resumed forceful advocacy of socialism and sharply criticized the U.S.–Japan alliance. During visits to China in 1957 and 1959, he publicly expressed deep remorse for Japan's wartime invasion and aggression against the Chinese people and declared that "American imperialism is the common enemy of the peoples of Japan and China". These positions made him a highly polarizing figure in Japan. Despite his leftist politics, Asanuma was known for his personal reverence for the emperor, maintaining a kamidana in his modest apartment and performing daily rituals there. He lived simply in public housing for decades and was popular among working-class voters for his approachable "everyman" style. In 1960, Asanuma was assassinated with a wakizashi, a traditional short sword, by 17-year-old far-right ultranationalist Otoya Yamaguchi while speaking in a televised political debate in Tokyo. His violent death was seen in graphic detail on national television by millions of Japanese, causing widespread public shock and outrage.
Etsusaburo Shiina (椎名 悦三郎, Shiina Etsusaburō; 16 January 1898 – 30 September 1979) was a career bureaucrat and…Etsusaburo Shiina (椎名 悦三郎, Shiina Etsusaburō; 16 January 1898 – 30 September 1979) was a career bureaucrat and politician. As Foreign Minister of Japan from 1964 to 1966 he played a pivotal role in diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea.
Count Muneyoshi Tokugawa (徳川 宗敬, Tokugawa Muneyoshi; 31 May 1897 – 1 May 1989) was a Japanese forester, politician and…Count Muneyoshi Tokugawa (徳川 宗敬, Tokugawa Muneyoshi; 31 May 1897 – 1 May 1989) was a Japanese forester, politician and Shintō priest. His court rank was Junior Third Rank.
Shidzue Katō (加藤 シヅエ, Katō Shizue; March 2, 1897 – December 22, 2001), also published as Shidzue Ishimoto, was a…Shidzue Katō (加藤 シヅエ, Katō Shizue; March 2, 1897 – December 22, 2001), also published as Shidzue Ishimoto, was a 20th-century Japanese feminist and one of the first women elected to the Diet of Japan, best known as a pioneer in the birth control movement. She is known in the U.S. as the "Margaret Sanger of Japan".
Viscount Michiharu Mishima (三島 通陽, Mishima Michiharu; 1 January 1897 – 20 April 1965) was a novelist, playwright and…Viscount Michiharu Mishima (三島 通陽, Mishima Michiharu; 1 January 1897 – 20 April 1965) was a novelist, playwright and drama critic. His pen name was Shōdō Mishima (三島 章道 Mishima Shōdō).
Viscount Keizō Shibusawa (渋沢 敬三, Shibusawa Keizō; 25 August 1896 – 25 October 1963) was a Japanese businessman, central…Viscount Keizō Shibusawa (渋沢 敬三, Shibusawa Keizō; 25 August 1896 – 25 October 1963) was a Japanese businessman, central banker, politician, philanthropist, and folklorist. He served as the 16th Governor of the Bank of Japan and later as Minister of Finance in the immediate postwar government of Kijūrō Shidehara.
Baron Masayuki Matsuda (Japanese: 松田正之; 2 November 1892 – 2 May 1976) was a Japanese politician who was Governor of the…Baron Masayuki Matsuda (Japanese: 松田正之; 2 November 1892 – 2 May 1976) was a Japanese politician who was Governor of the South Seas Mandate from 1932 to 1933. He was a graduate of Kyoto Imperial University and a relative of politician Yoriyasu Arima.
Hiroya Ino (井野 碩哉, Ino Hiroya; December 12, 1891 – May 19, 1980) was a Japanese politician who served one term as a…Hiroya Ino (井野 碩哉, Ino Hiroya; December 12, 1891 – May 19, 1980) was a Japanese politician who served one term as a member of the Lower House of the National Diet during World War II, and three terms as a member of the House of Councillors in the postwar period. He also held cabinet-level posts three times.
Song Jin-woo (Korean: 송진우, 8 May 1889 – 30 December 1945) was a Korean independence activist, journalist, and…Song Jin-woo (Korean: 송진우, 8 May 1889 – 30 December 1945) was a Korean independence activist, journalist, and politician. His art name was Goha (고하; 古下). He was the 3rd, 6th and 8th CEO of the Dong-a Ilbo and the founding leader of the Korea Democratic Party. In 1945, he was assassinated by Han Hyeon-woo, a member of the far-right terrorist group the White Shirts Society.
Viscount Nobutsune Oda (織田 信恒, Oda Nobutsune; 3 August 1889 – 20 May 1967) was a Japanese politician, businessman, and…Viscount Nobutsune Oda (織田 信恒, Oda Nobutsune; 3 August 1889 – 20 May 1967) was a Japanese politician, businessman, and manga author, member of the House of Peers. Under the pen name Oda Shōsei (織田 小星), he wrote the original draft and text for the manga "Shō-chan no Bōken".
Prince Nobusuke Takatsukasa (鷹司 信輔, Takatsukasa Nobusuke; 29 April 1889 – 1 February 1959), son of Hiromichi, was a…Prince Nobusuke Takatsukasa (鷹司 信輔, Takatsukasa Nobusuke; 29 April 1889 – 1 February 1959), son of Hiromichi, was a Japanese nobleman and politician of the Meiji era (1868–1912) who served as a member of House of Peers in the Diet of Japan. Takatsukasa Nobuhiro was his brother, and Toshimichi was his son. He was a keen ornithologist who went by the nickname of “Bird Prince” (Kotori no koshaku).