Influential ex-prime minister of Japan dies at the age of 101

Influential ex-prime minister of Japan dies at the age of 101

Influential ex-prime minister of Japan dies at the age of 101

Japanese former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone speaks during a press conference for the 28th Praemium Imperiale award in Tokyo, Japan on October 17, 2016 (reissued Nov.29, 2019). (EFE-EPA File Photo)

 

Tokyo, November 29 (EFE-EPA): Former Japanese prime minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, considered one of the most influential post-war leaders in the country, died on Friday at the age of 101, public broadcaster NHK reported.



The conservative politicians ruled Japan between 1982 and 1987, and during his tenure established closer defense ties with the United States and strengthened Japan's position as one of the biggest economic powers worldwide.



Nakasone, who had participated in World War II as an officer of the Imperial Japanese Navy, died in the early hours of Friday at a Tokyo hospital, sources close to the family told media.



Known internationally for his proximity to former US president Ronald Reagan, the Japanese leader was one of the most respected political figures during the last few decades of the 20th century.



During his term, Nakasone focused on strengthening national defense capabilities of Japan through a bilateral agreement with the US and backed a reform of the pacifist article of the Japanese constitution which limits powers of the self-defense force (military).



His stand led to fierce attacks from the opposition, which considered him a proponent of returning to the nationalist and militarist policies which pushed Japan into World War II.



In 1985, Nakasone provoked a diplomatic crisis with China by marking the 40th anniversary of Japan's surrender in WW II by visiting the Yasukuni war shrine, which honors Japanese war casualties from the period between late 19th century and 1945, including 14 politicians and officers of the Imperial Army who were convicted as Class A war criminals by an international court after the end of the war.



The leader, who hailed from the central Gunma prefecture, also caused controversies by repeatedly making comments boasting of the superiority of the Japanese "race" and culture, and backing education policies that inculcate patriotism among Japanese students.



In the economic sphere, Nakasone spearheaded some of the largest privatization projects in the history of the country, including that of Japan National Railways, which was divided into seven private-sector regional operators.



Nakasone set a benchmark for the current generation of conservative Japanese politicians in power, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has also set the goals of extending military capabilities and amending the constitution to dilute its pacifist thrust as some of his top priorities.



The father of the current prime minister, Shintaro Abe, served as the minister of foreign affairs under Nakasone during his tenure.



Nakasone was forced to resign in 1987 after failing to get support for introducing a value added tax in an attempt to reduce public debt, and retired from politics in 2003, after a career spanning more than 50 years as a member of the parliament.