Noboru Takeshita
| Noboru Takeshita | |
|---|---|
| 竹下 登 | |
Takeshita in June 1988
|
|
| 46th Prime Minister of Japan | |
|
In office 6 November 1987 – 3 June 1989 |
|
| Monarch |
Shōwa Akihito |
| Preceded by | Yasuhiro Nakasone |
| Succeeded by | Sōsuke Uno |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
26 February 1924 Unnan, Shimane, Japan |
| Died | 19 June 2000 (aged 76) Minato, Tokyo, Japan |
| Political party | Liberal Democratic Party |
| Alma mater | Waseda University |
| Religion | Buddhism (Jōdo Shinshū) |
| Signature |  |
Noboru Takeshita (竹下 登 Takeshita Noboru?, 26 February 1924 – 19 June 2000) was a Japanese politician and the 74th Prime Minister of Japan from 6 November 1987 to 3 June 1989.
Takeshita led the largest faction in the Liberal Democratic Party, which he inherited from Kakuei Tanaka, from the 1980s until his death in 2000. He was dubbed the "last shadow shogun" for his behind-the-scenes influence in Japanese politics. He was the last prime minister to serve during the long rule of Emperor Hirohito.
Takeshita was born in present-day Unnan, Shimane on 26 February 1924 and attended Waseda University.
He married prior to World War II, when he joined the Imperial Japanese Army to serve as an instructor. His wife committed suicide while he was away for the war, which author Jacob Schlesinger argued made Takeshita obsessive about his composure and highly reserved about showing anger to others.
After the war, he remarried, worked as an English teacher and managed a high school judo team before entering politics in 1951. As a young judo competitor, he was known as "master of the draw" for his ability to avoid defeating weaker opponents and to avert defeat by stronger opponents.
Takeshita served as a local assemblyman in Shimane Prefecture from 1951. In the 1958 general election he won a seat in the House of Representatives, joining the powerful faction of Kakuei Tanaka in the Liberal Democratic Party. He was elected at the same time as Shin Kanemaru, and the two remained close allies through their respective political careers. Takeshita eventually became Tanaka's primary fundraiser, traveling the country to garner support for the LDP's coffers. Like Tanaka, Takeshita was fond of "pork barrel" politics, retaining his own seat by bringing excessively huge public works projects to Shimane. Takeshita served as chief cabinet secretary from 1971 to 1974 and as minister of construction in 1976.
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