Former Japan PM Yasuo Fukuda, the country’s first second-generation leader, dies at 90

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who sought to strengthen diplomatic relations with China during his brief tenure in office, has died at the age of 90, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) official confirmed on Monday.Fukuda died on October 22, with Japanese business daily Nikkei reporting heart failure as the cause of death.He served as Japan's prime minister from September 2007 to September 2008, taking office after Shinzo Abe abruptly resigned following his first year as premier. Fukuda became the first son of a former Japanese prime minister to hold the country's top political office, following his father, Takeo Fukuda, who led Japan from 1976 to 1978.During his year in power, Fukuda prioritised improving relations with Japan's Asian neighbours, particularly China, at a time when historical disputes and regional tensions had strained ties between the two countries.In May 2008, he hosted then Chinese President Hu Jintao on a landmark visit to Japan, the first by a Chinese head of state in a decade. The two leaders issued a joint statement pledging to develop a “mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests”.However, Fukuda's domestic political challenges overshadowed his diplomatic efforts. Facing a divided parliament, legislative gridlock and declining public approval, he announced his resignation in September 2008, less than a year after assuming office.Before becoming prime minister, Fukuda had built a long career in both business and politics. An economics graduate from Waseda University, he spent nearly two decades working for an oil company, including a posting in the United States, before entering politics as his father's secretary in 1976.He was first elected to Japan's lower house of parliament in 1990 and later served as chief cabinet secretary between 2000 and 2004. He resigned from that position after acknowledging that he had failed to make required pension contributions.Fukuda retired from electoral politics in 2012 but remained active in diplomacy, particularly in efforts to ease tensions between Tokyo and Beijing.In 2014, amid worsening relations over disputed islands and historical grievances, he travelled to China for talks with President Xi Jinping. The meeting helped pave the way for a summit between Xi and Abe, who had returned to power for a second term.Known for his preference for dialogue and engagement in foreign policy, Fukuda continued advocating closer relations between the two Asian powers after leaving office.He is survived by his son, Tatsuo Fukuda, a Japanese lawmaker who has also been regarded as a potential future prime minister.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.