politician Shintaro Ishihara

politician Shintaro Ishihara
Name	Shintaro Ishihara
Caption	Ishihara in 2010
Office	Governor of Tokyo
Term start	April 23, 1999
Term end	October 31, 2012
Predecessor	Yukio Aoshima
Successor	Naoki Inose
Office1	Member of the House of Representatives
Term start1	1968
Term end1	1995
Constituency1	Tokyo at-large (1968–1976), Tokyo 2nd (1976–1995)
Birth date	30 September 1932
Birth place	Kobe, Hyōgo, Empire of Japan
Death date	1 February 2022
Death place	Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Party	Liberal Democratic Party (1968–1995), Sunrise Party (2010–2012), Japan Restoration Party (2012–2014)
Alma mater	Hitotsubashi University
Spouse	Noriko Ishihara
Children	4, including Nobuteru and Hirotaka
Awards	Akutagawa Prize (1956)

politician Shintaro Ishihara was a prominent and polarizing Japanese figure whose career spanned literature, film, and national politics. He first gained fame by winning the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 1956 before serving for decades in the National Diet, ultimately becoming the controversial Governor of Tokyo. Known for his strident nationalist views and provocative statements on history and foreign policy, Ishihara remained a significant force in Japan's right-wing political landscape until his death.

Early life and education

Shintaro Ishihara was born on September 30, 1932, in the port city of Kobe, within Hyōgo Prefecture. His early years were shaped by the tumultuous period of World War II, including the Allied bombing campaigns against Japan. He pursued higher education at Hitotsubashi University, then known as Tokyo University of Commerce, where he studied and began his literary endeavors. His time at the university coincided with the early post-war era, a period of significant American influence and national reconstruction under the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.

Literary and artistic career

Ishihara achieved sudden and spectacular fame at age 23 by winning the Akutagawa Prize for his novella *Season of the Sun*, which depicted the rebellious lives of post-war Japanese youth. This work cemented his status as a leading member of the "Sun Tribe" literary movement. He collaborated with his younger brother, the actor Yujiro Ishihara, on several films, including the adaptation of his prize-winning story. His creative output extended to playwriting and essays, establishing a public persona of rebelliousness and iconoclasm that he would later carry into politics.

Political career

In 1968, Ishihara was elected to the House of Representatives as a member of the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He held various parliamentary positions, including a stint as Minister of Transport in the cabinet of Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone. A vocal member of the party's nationalist wing, he often clashed with the more moderate Ichiro Ozawa and other LDP factions. He served in the Diet for 25 years before resigning in 1995, though his political influence continued through his writing and public commentary.

Governor of Tokyo

Elected Governor of Tokyo in 1999, Ishihara served four terms, becoming one of the metropolis's most consequential and contentious leaders. His tenure was marked by major initiatives like the successful bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics and the establishment of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's bond. He frequently sparred with the national government, notably over the relocation of the Tsukiji fish market to Toyosu and the management of Haneda Airport. In 2012, he resigned as governor to co-found the Japan Restoration Party with Toru Hashimoto, aiming to reshape national politics.

Controversies and views

Ishihara was a lightning rod for controversy, renowned for his revisionist and inflammatory rhetoric. He repeatedly denied the extent of the Nanking Massacre, labeled the Tokyo Tribunal as victor's justice, and referred to Taiwan as a nation. His 1989 book *The Japan That Can Say No*, co-authored with Akio Morita of Sony, argued for a more assertive Japanese foreign policy independent of the United States. His 2012 proposal for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to purchase the Senkaku Islands triggered a major diplomatic crisis with the People's Republic of China.

Personal life and death

Ishihara was married to Noriko Ishihara, and the couple had four sons. Two of his sons, Nobuteru Ishihara and Hirotaka Ishihara, followed him into politics, becoming members of the National Diet. In his later years, he remained active in political discourse through the Sunrise Party of Japan and other groups. Shintaro Ishihara died of pancreatic cancer on February 1, 2022, at his home in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo.

Category:1932 births Category:2022 deaths Category:Japanese politicians Category:Governors of Tokyo Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Japan)