Wataru Kubo | |
---|---|
久保 亘 | |
Minister of Finance | |
In office 5 January 1996 – 7 November 1996 | |
Prime Minister | Ryutaro Hashimoto |
Preceded by | Masayoshi Takemura |
Succeeded by | Hiroshi Mitsuzuka |
Deputy Prime Minister of Japan | |
In office 5 January 1996 – 7 November 1996 | |
Prime Minister | Ryutaro Hashimoto |
Preceded by | Ryutaro Hashimoto |
Succeeded by | Naoto Kan (2009) |
Personal details | |
Born | 15 January 1929 Kagoshima Prefecture, Empire of Japan |
Died | 24 June 2003 Kagoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan | (aged 74)
Political party |
Social Democratic Party (1963–1997) Democratic Party of Japan (1997–2001) |
Alma mater | Hiroshima University of Literature and Science |
Wataru Kubo (久保 亘, Kubo Wataru, 15 January 1929 – 24 June 2003) was a Japanese politician from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and then from Democratic Party of Japan. He served as deputy prime minister and finance minister of Japan from 5 January 1996 to 7 November 1996.
Kubo was born in Kagoshima Prefecture on 15 January 1929. [1] He finished Kagoshima Normal School (currently Kagoshima University) and entered Department of Western History, Hiroshima University of Literature and Science (currently Hiroshima University). [2] He received a bachelor's degree from Hiroshima University of Literature and Science in 1952. [1]
Kubo started his career as a high-school teacher. [3] Then he involved in politics, and in 1963, he was elected to the Kagoshima Prefectural Assembly where he served for three terms. [1] He was first elected to the upper house in July 1974 from Kagoshima at-large district. [4] [5] Until 1993 he served as chairman and a member of different committees at the house, including the budget and finance committee in the upper house. [1] [6] In September 1993, he was named as secretary general of the Social Democratic Party during the term of the party chief Tomiichi Murayama. [5] [7] He was also chief finance policy strategist [8] and deputy chairman of the party. [9] [10]
He served as vice prime minister and finance minister from 5 January to 7 November 1996 in the first cabinet of Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto that was a coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party, the SDP and New Party Sakigake. [5] [11] Kubo's term ended when Hashimoto inaugurated his second cabinet and the coalition parties SPD and New Party Sakigake remained outside the government. [12] Kubo was succeeded by Hiroshi Mitsuzuka as finance minister. [12]
Kubo left the SPD on 6 January 1997 due to the disagreements with the SPD chief Takako Doi. [13] [14] After his resignation, Kubo joined the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). [10] Then he became a member of the upper house with the DPJ. [4] He retired from politics as a member of the DPJ in June 2001 after serving four terms at the upper house, being a representative of Kagoshima Prefecture. [5] [7]
Kubo had a high rank in kendo. [6] He received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, Japan's top award for contributions to the state and society, in November 2001. [15]
Kubo died at a hospital in Kagoshima on 24 June 2003. [7] He was 74. [15]