Iichirō Hatoyama
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese politician and diplomat. In 1976-1977, he was Foreign Minister
under Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda
.
.
Iichirō was a 1941 graduate of Tokyo Imperial University's School of Law; but despite family pressure, he resisted going into law or politics. Instead, he decided to become a public servant; but his plans were interrrupted by the Pacific War
. He enlisted in the Navy, and was presumed dead when the war ended.
At end of the war, Iichirō was one of 6.6 million Japanese military personnel and civilians who were stranded overseas. At the time, this was about 8 percent of Japan's entire population. These statistics provide a context for understanding what it meant that Iichirō was unable to return home until December 31, 1945.
, who was the Prime Minister of Japan
in 1955-1956. His grand-father Kazuo Hatoyama
was Speaker of the House of Representative in the first Imperial Diet. Despite family pressure, he was interested in building a life outside the arena of Japanese politics; and his sons also grew to become independent-minded men.
Iichirō is the father of Yukio Hatoyama
, who was the former Prime Minister
, following a win by the opposition coalition in the 2009 elections
.
His wife, Yasuko Hatoyama
, is a daughter of Shojiro Ishibashi
, the founder of Bridgestone Corporation. The couple have two sons. Kunio Hatoyama
, like his brother Yukio, may be described as a fourth generation politician and most recently the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications.
The Hatoyamas have been described in the media as the "Kennedys
of Japan".
, but this work was interrupted by the Pacific War
.
In 1946, he began making a place for himself in the meritocracy
of the Budget Bureau. In this work, he caught the attention of men like Takeo Fukuda
, who would figure prominently in later life.
In due course, Iichirō was promoted to the position of Deputy Director General in 1963; and he became Director General in 1965. He served as administrative Vice Minister in the Finance Ministry from 1971 to 1972. The position of vice minister is the highest rank in the civil service, comparable to that of "permanent secretary
" in the British civil service or "undersecretary
" in the civil service of the United States government. The minister is always a politician.
After Iichirō's retirement in 1974, he gave in to long-standing family pressure; and his career in politics began with his election to the House of Councilors (HC) in the Diet
.
The capstone of his political career was the period in which he served as Foreign Minister in 1976–1977.
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Japan)
The of Japan is the Cabinet member responsible for Japanese foreign policy and the chief executive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Since the end of the American occupation of Japan, the position has been one of the most powerful in the Cabinet, as Japan's economic interests have long relied on...
under Prime Minister 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...
.
Early years
Hatoyama was born in Tokyo to a high profile family. He studied at the University of TsukubaUniversity of Tsukuba
is located in the city of Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture in the Kantō region of Japan. The University has 28 college clusters and schools with a total of around 15,000 students...
.
Iichirō was a 1941 graduate of Tokyo Imperial University's School of Law; but despite family pressure, he resisted going into law or politics. Instead, he decided to become a public servant; but his plans were interrrupted by the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. He enlisted in the Navy, and was presumed dead when the war ended.
At end of the war, Iichirō was one of 6.6 million Japanese military personnel and civilians who were stranded overseas. At the time, this was about 8 percent of Japan's entire population. These statistics provide a context for understanding what it meant that Iichirō was unable to return home until December 31, 1945.
Family
Iichirō was the eldest son of Ichirō HatoyamaIchiro Hatoyama
was a Japanese politician and the 52nd, 53rd and 54th Prime Minister of Japan, serving terms from December 10, 1954 through March 19, 1955, from then to November 22, 1955, and from then through December 23, 1956.-Personal life:...
, who was the Prime Minister of Japan
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...
in 1955-1956. His grand-father Kazuo Hatoyama
Kazuo Hatoyama
was the patriarchal head of the prominent Japanese Hatoyama political family which has been called "Japan's Kennedy family."Kazuo was a graduate of Yale University.-Family:...
was Speaker of the House of Representative in the first Imperial Diet. Despite family pressure, he was interested in building a life outside the arena of Japanese politics; and his sons also grew to become independent-minded men.
Iichirō is the father of Yukio Hatoyama
Yukio Hatoyama
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan between 16 September 2009 and 2 June 2010, and was the first ever Prime Minister from the modern Democratic Party of Japan....
, who was the former Prime Minister
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...
, following a win by the opposition coalition in the 2009 elections
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 wife, Yasuko Hatoyama
Yasuko Hatoyama
is the widow of former Japanese Foreign Minister Iichirō Hatoyama and heir to the Bridgestone Corporation fortune. She is the mother of former Prime Minister of Japan Yukio Hatoyama and Diet member Kunio Hatoyama.- Background and family :...
, is a daughter of Shojiro Ishibashi
Shojiro Ishibashi
was a Japanese businessman who founded the Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest maker of tires, in 1930 in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. Bridgestone was named after its founder: In the Japanese language ishi means a "stone" and bashi mean "bridge"...
, the founder of Bridgestone Corporation. The couple have two sons. Kunio Hatoyama
Kunio Hatoyama
is a Japanese politician who served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications under Prime Minister Taro Aso until June 12, 2009.- Biography :Kunio Hatoyama was born in Tokyo in 1948...
, like his brother Yukio, may be described as a fourth generation politician and most recently the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications.
The Hatoyamas have been described in the media as the "Kennedys
Kennedy family
In the United States, the phrase Kennedy family commonly refers to the family descending from the marriage of the Irish-Americans Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald that was prominent in American politics and government. Their political involvement has revolved around the...
of Japan".
Career
In 1941, Iichirō joined the Finance MinistryMinistry of Finance (Japan)
The ' is one of cabinet-level ministries of the Japanese government. The ministry was once named Ōkura-shō . The Ministry is headed by the Minister of Finance , who is a member of the Cabinet and is typically chosen from members of the Diet by the Prime Minister.The Ministry's origin was back in...
, but this work was interrupted by the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
.
In 1946, he began making a place for himself in the meritocracy
Meritocracy
Meritocracy, in the first, most administrative sense, is a system of government or other administration wherein appointments and responsibilities are objectively assigned to individuals based upon their "merits", namely intelligence, credentials, and education, determined through evaluations or...
of the Budget Bureau. In this work, he caught the attention of men like 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 would figure prominently in later life.
In due course, Iichirō was promoted to the position of Deputy Director General in 1963; and he became Director General in 1965. He served as administrative Vice Minister in the Finance Ministry from 1971 to 1972. The position of vice minister is the highest rank in the civil service, comparable to that of "permanent secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
" in the British civil service or "undersecretary
Undersecretary
An under secretary is an executive government official in many countries, frequently a career public servant, who typically acts as a senior administrator or second-in-command to a politically-appointed Cabinet Minister or other government official...
" in the civil service of the United States government. The minister is always a politician.
After Iichirō's retirement in 1974, he gave in to long-standing family pressure; and his career in politics began with his election to the House of Councilors (HC) in the Diet
Diet 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...
.
The capstone of his political career was the period in which he served as Foreign Minister in 1976–1977.