Masahiko Kōmura

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Masahiko Kōmura
高村正彦
Komura Masahiko 1-3.jpg
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office
26 September 2007 – 24 September 2008
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda
Preceded by Nobutaka Machimura
Succeeded by Hirofumi Nakasone
In office
30 July 1998 – 5 October 1999
Prime Minister Keizō Obuchi
Preceded by Keizō Obuchi
Succeeded by Yōhei Kōno
Director-General of the Economic Planning Agency
In office
30 June 1994 – 8 August 1995
Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama
Preceded by Yoshio Terazawa
Succeeded by Isamu Miyazaki
Personal details
Born (1942-03-15) 15 March 1942 (age 82)
Shūnan, Yamaguchi, Japan
Political party Liberal Democratic Party
Alma mater Chuo University

Masahiko Kōmura (高村 正彦 Kōmura Masahiko?, born 15 March 1942) is a Japanese politician, and the current Vice-President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1998 to 1999 and again from 2007 to 2008, and he is a member of the House of Representatives for Yamaguchi 1st district.

Early life and education

Kōmura was born in Ehime Prefecture on 15 March 1942.[1] He graduated from Chuo University's faculty of law.[2]

Career

After graduation, Kōmura passed Japan's bar exam and then immediately entered politics. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in the June 1980 election, and has been re-elected in each election since then. He became Director-General of the Economic Planning Agency (as a Minister of State) in June 1994, Minister for Foreign Affairs in July 1998, and Minister of Justice in December 2000. In August 2007, under Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, he became Minister of Defense.[3] Kōmura leads a small faction of the LDP named after himself and ran for LDP president in 2003, but was defeated by Junichiro Koizumi.[4]

Following Abe's resignation in September 2007, Kōmura became Minister for Foreign Affairs for a second time on 26 September 2007, in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.[5] He remained in that post until he was replaced by Hirofumi Nakasone in the Cabinet of Taro Aso, appointed on 24 September 2008.[6] He is vice president of the LDP.[7]

Kōmura is also the President of the Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians' Union. He is known to have strong ties within China's political circles.[4]

References

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  3. "Profile of Minister for Foreign Affairs Masahiko KOUMURA", Foreign Ministry website.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Japan Times, "Fukuda's new linuep", 3 August 2008, P. 3.
  5. "Fukuda Cabinet launched / Changes minimized to reduce impact on Diet business", The Yomiuri Shimbun, 26 September 2007.
  6. "Aso elected premier / Announces Cabinet lineup himself; poll likely on Nov. 2", The Yomiuri Shimbun, 25 September 2005.
  7. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Foreign Affairs
2007–2008
Succeeded by
Hirofumi Nakasone
Preceded by Minister of Defence
2007
Succeeded by
Shigeru Ishiba
Preceded by Minister of Justice
2000–2001
Succeeded by
Mayumi Moriyama
Preceded by Minister for Foreign Affairs
1998–1999
Succeeded by
Yōhei Kōno
Preceded by
Yoshio Terazawa
Director of Economic Planning Agency of Japan
1994–1995
Succeeded by
Isamu Miyazaki