Takami Eto
Encyclopedia
was a Japan
ese politician
and former member of Japan's House of Representatives
. He served as the Japanese construction
minister during the early 1990s, but resigned in 1995 following controversial comments regarding Japan's treatment of occupied areas during World War II
.
Takami Etō, a conservative politician, was once considered a major power broker
in Japan's Liberal Democratic Party
. Etō resigned from his post as minister of the Management and Coordination Agency in 1995 following comments in which he stated that Japan "did some good things" when it governed Korea
, including building railroads
, roads and schools. Etō's comments threatened to cancel an important summit
between South Korea
's then President
Kim Young-sam
, whose government objected to Etō comments, and then Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama
, a socialist who led Japan's coalition government
, before Etō's resignation.
Additionally, Etō also defended the 1910 Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty
which gave Japan control over Korea. He stated in a speech, "Why was the country-to-country treaty called an invasion?...What's the difference between that and a merger of a town and a village?" Etō also actively lobbied against school textbooks which mentioned so-called " comfort women
" Comfort women were women from across Asia
, including Koreans, whom Japanese troops forced into sexual slavery during World War II
.
Etō retired from politics
in 2003. His son, Taku Etō
, took his father's seat in the House of Representatives of Japan
.
Takami Etō was found dead in his hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
, Vietnam
, on November 22, 2007. He was 82 years old when he died and had been in Vietnam
on a private agricultural related visit. Japan's Kyodo News
reported that Etō had died of an apparent heart attack.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and former member of Japan's House of Representatives
House of Representatives of Japan
The is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the upper house.The House of Representatives has 480 members, elected for a four-year term. Of these, 180 members are elected from 11 multi-member constituencies by a party-list system of proportional representation,...
. He served as the Japanese construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
minister during the early 1990s, but resigned in 1995 following controversial comments regarding Japan's treatment of occupied areas during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Takami Etō, a conservative politician, was once considered a major power broker
Power broker (term)
A power broker is a person who can influence people to vote towards a particular client in exchange for political or financial benefits. Power brokers can also negotiate deals with other power brokers to meet their aims....
in Japan's Liberal Democratic Party
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
The , frequently abbreviated to LDP or , is a centre-right political party in Japan. It is one of the most consistently successful political parties in the democratic world. The LDP ruled almost continuously for nearly 54 years from its founding in 1955 until its defeat in the 2009 election...
. Etō resigned from his post as minister of the Management and Coordination Agency in 1995 following comments in which he stated that Japan "did some good things" when it governed Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, including building railroads
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
, roads and schools. Etō's comments threatened to cancel an important summit
Summit (meeting)
A summit meeting is a meeting of heads of state or government, usually with considerable media exposure, tight security and a prearranged agenda.Notable summit meetings include those of Franklin D...
between South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
's then President
President of South Korea
The President of the Republic of Korea is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, chief executive of the government, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the head of state of the Republic of Korea...
Kim Young-sam
Kim Young-sam
Kim Young-sam was a South Korean politician and democratic activist. From 1961, he spent 30 years as South Korea's leader of the opposition, and one of Park Chung-hee's most powerful rivals....
, whose government objected to Etō comments, and then Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama
Tomiichi Murayama
is a retired Japanese politician who served as the 81st Prime Minister of Japan from June 30, 1994 to January 11, 1996. He was the head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan and the first Socialist prime minister in nearly fifty years...
, a socialist who led Japan's coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
, before Etō's resignation.
Additionally, Etō also defended the 1910 Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty
Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty
The Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910, also known as the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty, was made by representatives of the Empire of Japan and the Korean Empire in 1910. Negotiations were concluded on August 20, 1910...
which gave Japan control over Korea. He stated in a speech, "Why was the country-to-country treaty called an invasion?...What's the difference between that and a merger of a town and a village?" Etō also actively lobbied against school textbooks which mentioned so-called " comfort women
Comfort women
The term "comfort women" was a euphemism used to describe women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II.Estimates vary as to how many women were involved, with numbers ranging from as low as 20,000 from some Japanese scholars to as high as 410,000 from some Chinese...
" Comfort women were women from across Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, including Koreans, whom Japanese troops forced into sexual slavery during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Etō retired from politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
in 2003. His son, Taku Etō
Taku Eto
is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . A native of Kadogawa, Miyazaki and graduate of Seijo University. He was elected for the first time in 2003, succeeding his father, controversial former government minister, Takami Eto.-...
, took his father's seat in the House of Representatives of Japan
House of Representatives of Japan
The is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the upper house.The House of Representatives has 480 members, elected for a four-year term. Of these, 180 members are elected from 11 multi-member constituencies by a party-list system of proportional representation,...
.
Takami Etō was found dead in his hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, on November 22, 2007. He was 82 years old when he died and had been in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
on a private agricultural related visit. Japan's Kyodo News
Kyodo News
is a nonprofit cooperative news agency based in Minato, Tokyo. It was established in November 1945 and it distributes news to almost all newspapers, and radio and television networks in Japan. The newspapers using its news have about 50 million subscribers. K. K. Kyodo News is Kyodo News' business...
reported that Etō had died of an apparent heart attack.