24 Facts About Yasuo Fukuda

Yasuo Fukuda is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2007 to 2008.

Yasuo Fukuda was previously the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history, serving in that role from 2000 to 2004 under Prime Ministers Yoshiro Mori and Junichiro Koizumi.

Yasuo Fukuda's record was surpassed by Yoshihide Suga, who served almost twice as long.

Yasuo Fukuda was the first son of a former Japanese Prime Minister to take up the post.

On 1 September 2008, Yasuo Fukuda announced his resignation as party leader, and was succeeded by Taro Aso.

Yasuo Fukuda was born in Takasaki, Gunma, the eldest son of politician Takeo Yasuo Fukuda.

Yasuo Fukuda grew up in Setagaya, Tokyo, attending Azabu High School and graduating from Waseda University in 1959 with a degree in economics.

Yasuo Fukuda was only minimally involved in politics over the next seventeen years, working his way up to section chief as a typical Japanese "salaryman".

Yasuo Fukuda served as president of the Japanese Canoe Federation prior to his September 2007 election as prime minister.

Yasuo Fukuda ran for the House of Representatives in 1990 and won a seat.

Yasuo Fukuda was elected deputy director of the Liberal Democratic Party in 1997 and became Chief Cabinet Secretary to Yoshiro Mori in October 2000.

Yasuo Fukuda resigned his position as Chief Cabinet Secretary on 7 May 2004 amid a large political scandal related to the Japanese pension system.

Yasuo Fukuda was considered a contender for the leadership of the LDP in 2006, but, on 21 July, he decided that he would not seek the nomination.

In June 2006, Yasuo Fukuda joined 134 other lawmakers in proposing a secular alternative to the shrine, citing constitutional concerns.

Yasuo Fukuda received a great deal of support in his bid, including that of the LDP's largest faction, led by Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, of which Yasuo Fukuda is a member.

Yasuo Fukuda received 338 votes, almost 100 more than necessary for a majority, in the House of Representatives; although the House of Councillors, led by the opposition Democratic Party, elected Ichiro Ozawa over Fukuda by a margin of 133 to 106.

On 1 September 2008, Yasuo Fukuda announced his resignation, citing reasons related to improving the flow of the political process.

Yasuo Fukuda said that while Abe's resignation was for health reasons, his own resignation was motivated by a desire to remove impediments to legislative and political process due to deadlock between his party and the opposition-controlled upper house of the Diet.

Taro Aso was viewed as the likely front-runner to replace Yasuo Fukuda, and was elected a week later.

In June 2014, Yasuo Fukuda visited Beijing for secret meetings with Chinese government officials.

On getting the consent from Abe, Yasuo Fukuda returned to Beijing and on 28 July informed Xi about the consent from Abe, and thus laid the groundwork for the Japan-China summit that was held in November 2014.

In 2018, Yasuo Fukuda met with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during the 4th round of dialogue between entrepreneurs and former senior officials of China and Japan.

In July 2019, Yasuo Fukuda addressed the two-day Sino-US trade relations forum in Hong Kong, attended by high-level attendees included former Chinese vice-premier Zeng Peiyan and other previous government heads and officials, as well as entrepreneurs and scholars from around the world.

When Yasuo Fukuda became prime minister he vowed to continue the mission, this despite the fact that the DPJ which opposed the authorization bill now had a majority in the upper house.