Former Japanese prime minister Yasuo Fukuda dies at 90

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 27 Oct, 01:50 · Archive

Yasuo Fukuda, who served as Japanese prime minister from 2007 to 2008, has died at the age of 90.

Yasuo Fukuda, Japan's former prime minister who led the country for one year and spent much of his career promoting closer ties with China, has died at 90. The Liberal Democratic Party confirmed his death on Thursday without providing further details.

Fukuda came from a prominent political family in Gunma, northwest of Tokyo. His father Takeo also served as prime minister and worked to build Japan's ties with Beijing. After graduating from Waseda University in Tokyo, Yasuo Fukuda worked for a Japanese oil company for more than 17 years before entering politics, initially serving as his father's private secretary before the elder Fukuda became Japan's leader in 1976.

Fukuda was first elected to parliament in 1990, taking his father's former seat. He served in various foreign affairs-related roles and earned a reputation as a diplomacy expert. As chief cabinet secretary under prime minister Yoshiro Mori in 2000, he jokingly called himself the "secretary of explanations". During his 2007-2008 prime ministership, Fukuda developed stable ties with China's Hu Jintao, though his premiership lasted only one year as he struggled to manage a divided parliament where his Liberal Democratic Party held a majority in only one of the two houses. After retiring from parliament in 2012, Fukuda devoted his time to improving Japan's relations with China during a period when their ties were disrupted by territorial disputes over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea.

How it is being reported

• Japan's former prime minister Yasuo Fukuda dies at 90Former Japanese prime minister Yasuo Fukuda, who was an active proponent of better ties with China, has died at at the age of 90.Perth Now · 27 Oct, 01:22
• Japan's former prime minister Yasuo Fukuda dies at 90Former Japanese prime minister Yasuo Fukuda, who was an active proponent of better ties with China, has died at at the age of 90.The West Australian · 27 Oct, 01:22

In this story: Yasuo Fukuda · Takeo Fukuda · Japan · China · Hu Jintao · Liberal Democratic Party · Gunma · Yoshiro Mori

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