1. Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has died at 90. He devoted himself to serving the Japanese people and fostering friendship between China and Japan, a commitment that inspires admiration and respect. His greatest legacy, according to the author who knew him closely, was his insistence that Japan honor its pledge never to wage war again. [para. 1][para. 2]
2. Fukuda was born in 1936 in Tokyo's Setagaya district, the eldest son of former Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda. After graduating from Waseda University's School of Political Science and Economics in 1959, he joined Maruzen Oil (now Cosmo Oil) and went to Los Angeles for a two-year assignment in 1962. The global oil crisis of 1972 impressed upon him the importance of diplomacy for resource-poor Japan. Though he had no wish to become a politician, events intervened when his younger brother fell ill in 1976, and he entered politics at his mother's urging. [para. 3][para. 4][para. 5][para. 6]
3. He served as his father's political secretary beginning in 1977 and was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1990. From 2000 to 2005, he served consecutively as chief cabinet secretary under Yoshiro Mori and Junichiro Koizumi, his 1,289 days in the post making him its second-longest-serving occupant. In 2007, he succeeded Shinzo Abe as prime minister. Both father and son reached the premiership at 71, making them Japan's first father-and-son prime ministers. [para. 7][para. 8]
4. Although his government lasted only about a year, Fukuda accomplished considerable achievements. Domestically, he established the Consumer Affairs Agency, advanced the effort to make earmarked road-tax revenues available for general spending, and developed legislation governing public records. Internationally, he invited then Chinese President Hu Jintao to Japan in 2008, leading to a joint statement establishing a "mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests," and hosted the Group of Eight summit at Lake Toya in Hokkaido. [para. 9][para. 10][para. 11]
5. Fukuda emphasized "carrying out reforms from the public's perspective" rather than grand projects. He insisted on legislation for public records after scandals involving HIV-infected patients and the loss of pension records exposed the need for a rigorous framework. "Access to truthful information is a basic principle of democracy," he said. He also returned to Japan's wartime history, noting that when Japan was defeated, the military burned documents that reflected badly on it. Under his leadership, the Public Records and Archives Management Act passed the Diet in 2009, giving citizens a means of exercising their right to know. [para. 12][para. 13][para. 14][para. 15][para. 16][para. 17][para. 18]
6. Fukuda resigned in September 2008 amid political confrontation, with his approval rating below 20% and the Democratic Party of Japan filing a censure motion against him. He explained that the opposition party had done nothing but delay deliberations, leaving the government unable to make decisions, and he chose to resign to let a new team serve the public's interests. [para. 19][para. 20][para. 21][para. 22]
7. Fukuda attached great importance to Japan's relations with Asia. Half a century earlier, while serving as his father's secretary, he had been deeply involved in drafting the Fukuda Doctrine calling for "heart-to-heart" relations with Asian countries. After leaving office, he made two secret visits to China in June and July 2014 for talks with President Xi Jinping, helping bring about a meeting between Abe and Xi that eased tensions. From 2010 to 2018, he served as chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia. In October 2019, he established the Japan Asian Community Culture Cooperation Organization, becoming its chairman. [para. 23][para. 24][para. 25][para. 26][para. 27]
8. In 2013, the author organized a delegation of 10 major Chinese companies to Japan, which drew considerable media attention and made a substantial impression on Japan's business community. Fukuda attended several events. Not long after, he requested a meeting at the Japanese Embassy solely to thank the author for his part in organizing the delegation. [para. 28][para. 29][para. 30][para. 31][para. 32][para. 33][para. 34]
9. Fukuda died of heart failure in a Tokyo hospital on Oct. 22. On Oct. 26, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi issued a statement reviewing his contributions. Former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba remarked that Fukuda had taught him the importance of approaching China relations with sincerity. On Oct. 27, Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence, calling Fukuda "a Japanese statesman known for his integrity and sense of responsibility, as well as a longtime friend of the Chinese people." [para. 35][para. 36][para. 37][para. 38]
10. In August, Fukuda gave his final television interview, speaking while receiving oxygen with fluid filling two-thirds of his lungs. His words were firm: "Japan must never go to war again. War means forcing ordinary people to their deaths." He insisted that diplomacy must come first when disagreements arise, and that exchanges between ordinary people must not stop. The author notes that the older generation of politicians who valued China-Japan relations is passing away, and those who follow still have a long road ahead to fulfill Fukuda's ideal. [para. 39][para. 40][para. 41][para. 42][para. 43]
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