Ryutaro Hashimoto (Hashimoto Ryutaro)

(p. 1937)
Born in g. Soya (Okayama Prefecture) July 29, 1937 in the family of statesman, Minister of Health and Welfare. He graduated from Keio University, worked in the company for the production of textiles. In 1963 he was elected to Parliament from the Liberal Democratic Party. He has held positions of Minister of Health and Welfare and the Minister of Transport. In 1989, became finance minister, but resigned in 1991 after a financial scandal broke. In 1994, Hashimoto became Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry, in September 1995, was elected leader of the LDP. January 11, 1996 took over as prime minister after the resignation of the LDP's coalition partner, the leader of the Social Democratic Party Tomiichi Murayama. Gained a reputation as a hard policy, in particular the negotiations with the U.S. on the military presence on Okinawa. In September 1997 he was elected to a new two-year term as leader of the LDP. Hashimoto resigned as prime minister in July 1998 after the LDP lost a significant number of seats in the upper house of parliament. 30 July 1998 the Prime Minister was appointed Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi.