Hajime Tamura

Hajime Tamura
Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan
In office 2 June 1989 – 24 January 1990
Monarch	Akihito
Preceded by	Kenzaburo Hara
Succeeded by	Yoshio Sakurauchi
Minister of International Trade and Industry
In office 22 July 1986 – 27 December 1988
Prime Minister	Yasuhiro Nakasone Noboru Takeshita
Preceded by	Michio Watanabe
Succeeded by	Hiroshi Mitsuzuka
Minister of Transport
In office 14 December 1976 – 28 November 1977
Prime Minister	Takeo Fukuda
Preceded by	Hirohide Ishida
Succeeded by	Kenji Fukunaga
Minister of Labour
In office 7 July 1972 – 22 December 1972
Prime Minister	Kakuei Tanaka
Preceded by	Toshio Tsukahara
Succeeded by	Tsunetaro Kato
Personal details
Born	9 May 1924 Matsuzaka, Mie
Died	1 November 2014 (aged 90) Shibuya Tokyo
Alma mater	Keio University

Hajime Tamura (田村 元 Tamura Hajime) (5 May 1924 – 1 November 2014)^[1] was a Japanese politician. He held different cabinet posts and served as the speaker of the House of Representatives.

Early life and education

Tamura was born in Matsuzaka, Mie Prefecture, in 1924.^[2][3] In 1950, he received a law degree from Keio University.^[2][4]

Career and activities

Tamura was a member of the House of Representatives to which he was first elected in 1955.^[2][5] He was appointed labour minister in 1972 and transport minister in 1976.^[2][4] He served as minister of international trade and industry from 1986 to 1988 in the cabinets led by Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone and then by Noboru Takeshita.^[6][7][8] When he was in office he apologized to the United States for an export violation committed by a Japanese manufacturer.^[9] In a reshuffle in December 1988 Hiroshi Mitsuzuka replaced Tamura as minister of international trade and industry.^[8] Tamura became Speaker of the House of Representatives on 2 June 1989, replacing Kenzaburo Hara in the post.^[10] Tamura's term ended on 24 January 1990 when Yoshio Sakurauchi was appointed speaker.^[10]

Tamura, nicknamed the “wheeler-dealer” in political arena, retired from politics in 1996.^[11]

Personal life and death

Tamura is married and has three daughters.^[2] Tamura died of natural causes on 1 November 2014 at age 90.^[12][11]

References

2. "A Perspective of Japanese/Canadian Economic Ties and Japan's Overseas Economic Policy". Empire Club of Canada. 20 June 1988. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
3. "House of Representatives. Speakers". Rulers. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
4. "All Other Members". Kakuei Tanaka. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
5. "Norihisa Tamura". Kantei. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
6. Clyde Haberman (7 November 1987). "Japan's New Cabinet Gets Old Face". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
7. "Japan's longest-serving trade minister". Xinhuanet. 30 September 2002. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
8. Schoenberger, Karl (28 December 1988). "Takeshita Shuffles Cabinet but Retains Key Ministers". Los Angeles Times. Tokyo. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
9. Michael Henderson (1994). All Her Paths Are Peace: Women Pioneers in Peacemaking. West Hartford, CT: Kumarian Press. p. 68. Retrieved 14 October 2013. – via Questia (subscription required)
10. "The National Diet of Japan" (PDF). Secretariat of the House of Representatives. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
11. "Former Lower House speaker Tamura dies at 90". Japan Times. Kyodo. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
12. "元衆院議長の田村元氏死去　当選１４回「政界仕掛け人". Asahi (in Japanese). 4 November 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2015.