16 Facts About Yukio Aoshima

Yukio Aoshima was a Japanese politician who served as Governor of Tokyo from 1995 to 1999.

Yukio Aoshima is well known as a TV actor, novelist, film director, screenwriter and songwriter.

Yukio Aoshima's father was an entrepreneur who had been running a bento catering business.

Yukio Aoshima began writing manzai comedy while enrolled as a student at Waseda University and made his debut as a comedy writer in Japan's fledgling television industry.

Yukio Aoshima rose to fame as the star of programs such as Shabondama Holiday and Iji-waru Baasan.

Yukio Aoshima produced, directed and starred in the film Kane, which was a contestant in the 1966 Cannes Film Festival.

Yukio Aoshima wrote for popular comedian Hitoshi Ueki and was largely responsible for creating Ueki's image.

Yukio Aoshima was elected to the House of Councillors in the 1968 election as a national block write-in candidate, capitalizing on his fame to win 1.2 million votes and placing second in the block behind Shintaro Ishihara.

Yukio Aoshima refused to give outdoor speeches in the style of other Japanese politicians, and instead went on a trip to Europe during the campaigning season.

Yukio Aoshima nonetheless remained in the Diet until 1995, when he resigned to run for Governor of Tokyo.

Yukio Aoshima was part of the Dainiin Club, a minor political party composed of independent candidates in the House of Councillors.

Yukio Aoshima ran for Governor of Tokyo in 1995, without major party support and again without campaigning beyond state-sponsored posters and TV spots.

Yukio Aoshima resigned after four years in office, by which time he was known as "Mr Broken Manifesto".

The bomb, intended for Yukio Aoshima, exploded in the face of his assistant, severely wounding him.

Yukio Aoshima ran for the House of Councillors again in the 2001 election and the 2004 election but failed to win a seat.

Yukio Aoshima died of myelodysplastic syndrome in December 2006 at the age of 74.