is a Japanese
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...
serving as the Minister of Digital Affairs of Japan since August 2022. A member of the
Liberal Democratic Party, he previously served as Minister for Administrative Reform and Regulatory Reform from 2015 to 2016 and from 2020 to 2021, and was the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
and
Minister of Defense under Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe
Shinzo Abe ( ; ja, 安倍 晋三, Hepburn: , ; 21 September 1954 – 8 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 20 ...
. He is also a member of the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
representing
Kanagawa
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-densest at . Its geographic area of makes it fifth-smallest. Kanagaw ...
's 15th district since 1996.
Kono has developed a reputation as a political maverick, with a tendency to hold positions on issues contrary to his party. He is also known for his large following on
social media
Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...
and his fluency in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, having attended college in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. He also has been speculated as a potential future Prime Minister, running in the
2021 Liberal Democratic Party leadership election, but losing to
Fumio Kishida in a second round run-off.
Early life
Taro Kono was born on 10 January 1963, in
Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, the oldest of the three children of
Yōhei Kōno
is a Japanese politician and a former President of the Liberal Democratic Party. He served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from November 2003 until August 2009, when the LDP lost its majority in the 2009 election. Kōno served as sp ...
, a former President of the Liberal Democratic Party and Speaker of the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
. He was born into a family of politicians: his father, his grandfather
Ichirō Kōno
was a postwar Japanese politician and a member of the National Diet. In the 1950s and 1960s, he was the head of the powerful "Konō Faction" within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Japan. Konō aspired to become prime minister, but alth ...
, and his great-uncle
Kenzō Kōno
Kenzō Kōno ( ja, 河野謙三) (May 14, 1901 – October 16, 1983) was President of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations (1965–1975). He was the younger brother of his predecessor, Ichirō Kōno and the uncle of Yōhei Kōno (Ichiro' ...
(Speaker of the
House of Councillors
The is the upper house of the National Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives is the lower house. The House of Councillors is the successor to the pre-war House of Peers. If the two houses disagree on matters of the budget, treaties, or ...
between 1971 and 1977), were all active in Japanese politics.
Kono attended Hanamizu Elementary School, Keio Middle School, and then
Keio Senior High School is a private boys' high school in Kōhoku-ku, Yokohama, Japan. It is affiliated with Keio University.
Overview
The Keio High Schools No. 1 (第一高等学校) and No. 2 (第二高等学校) merged into Keio SHS in 1948. its student body was ...
.
In 1981, he entered
Keiō University to study
economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analyzes ...
but dropped out in order to study in the United States.
In 1982, he went to the United States, where he attended the
Suffield Academy and
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...
, and studied comparative politics. In 1983, he worked for Senator
Alan Cranston in his
campaign for the Democratic Party presidential nomination. He also worked for then Representative
Richard Shelby of Alabama (at the time a Democrat) for two years.
He also spent time at the
Warsaw School of Economics
SGH Warsaw School of Economics ( pl, Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie, ''SGH''[Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...]
, during which he spent a night in prison after visiting the home of
Solidarity leader,
Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa (; ; born 29 September 1943) is a Polish statesman, dissident, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who served as the President of Poland between 1990 and 1995. After winning the 1990 election, Wałęsa became the first democrati ...
.
Kono graduated from
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...
in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service and the following year he joined
Fuji Xerox
was a joint venture partnership between the Japanese photographic firm Fujifilm Holdings and the American document management company Xerox to develop, produce and sell xerographic and document-related products and services in the Asia-Pacifi ...
. He moved to Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
in 1991. In 1993, he joined (日本端子), a supplier of electric components for
Toyota
is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
,
General Motors,
Matsushita, and other companies.
Political career
Kono was first elected to the
House of Representatives of Japan
The is the lower house of the National Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors is the upper house.
The composition of the House is established by and of the Constitution of Japan. The House of Representatives has 465 members, elected for a f ...
as a
Liberal Democratic
Liberal democracy is the combination of a liberal political ideology that operates under an indirect democratic form of government. It is characterized by elections between multiple distinct political parties, a separation of powers into di ...
member in the
October 1996 general election, at age 33. He won a closely contested election in the newly created Kanagawa 15th district covering the cities of
Hiratsuka
260px, Hiratsuka City Hall
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 257,316 and a population density of 3800 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Hiratsuka is located ...
and
Chigasaki
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 242,798 and a population density of 6800 people per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
The city is located on the eastern bank of the Sagami ...
, adjacent to his father's constituency in the Kanagawa 17th district (
Odawara
is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 188,482 and a population density of 1,700 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Odawara lies in the Ashigara Plains, in the far western por ...
and
Hadano). He has since been re-elected six times in
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...
,
2003,
2005,
2009,
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
and
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, respectively. His winning majority increased from 13,297 in 1996 to 63,058 in 2000, 71,968 in 2003, and 103,280 in 2005. The total number of votes he received in 2005 was 186,770, the second largest number in Japan's electoral history (second only to then Prime Minister
Koizumi's total in the same election).
Kono has been a member of five standing committees of the House of Representatives: Economy; Environment; Health, Labour, & Welfare; Trade & Industry; and Finance. In addition, he has been a member of two special committees: Consumer Affairs, and Children & Youth Affairs.
Koizumi government
![Taro Kono](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Taro_Kono.jpg)
From January to October 2002, Kono was Parliamentary Secretary for Public Management, responsible for administrative reforms, local governments, and "e-government." From November 2005 to September 2006 he was Senior Vice Minister of Justice in Koizumi's government.
In October 2002, Kono was named Director of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. He resigned from this position two months later in protest over the
Iraq War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق ( Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict and the War on terror
, image ...
, accusing Foreign Minister
Kawaguchi of not adequately explaining the government's policy.
Kono was the Acting Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party Committee until November 2003 and was one of the few members of the LDP to oppose the dispatch of the
Self Defense Forces to Iraq.
In 2004, Kono, then 41, was appointed Assistant Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party, and was also elected Prefectural Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party in Kanagawa Prefecture. He was the youngest Prefectural Chairman in the LDP. In 2005, he led the Party in Kanagawa in the general election.
In 2004, Kono co-sponsored the Economic Sanction Amendment to the Foreign Exchange Law, which gives the government power to unilaterally declare economic sanctions on any state; and the Port Closure Bill, which allows the government to refuse the entry of foreign ships from Japanese ports. His website states that "
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...
was the target." He also sponsored a United Nations Reform Bill that would have required the government to reduce its voluntary contributions to the UN Systems by 10 percent each year until changes were made in the membership of the Security Council.
Kono resigned as head of the Kanagawa LDP following the
2007 local elections, in which the LDP-supported candidate Tadashi Sugino lost to incumbent
Shigefumi Matsuzawa
is a Japanese politician and a current member of the House of Councillors for the Kanagawa at-large district in the Diet of Japan. A native of Kawasaki, Kanagawa and graduate of Keio University with a bachelor's degree in Political Science, h ...
. He became head of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee in September 2008. He ran for President of the LDP in 2009, but was defeated by
Sadakazu Tanigaki
is a Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives from 1983 to 2016, as Minister of Finance from 2003 to 2006, as President of the Liberal Democratic Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2009 to 2012, as Minist ...
.
Kono replaced
Hiroyuki Sonoda
was a Japanese politician serving in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the House of Representatives for Kumamoto 4th district; following the 2017 general election when Kumamoto lost one seat due to reapportionment, he moved to the ...
as Deputy Secretary-General of the LDP in April 2010, after Sonoda left the party to join the
Sunrise Party of Japan.
Abe government
![Tarō Kōno and Min Aung Hlaing at the Japanese MOD (1)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Tar%C5%8D_K%C5%8Dno_and_Min_Aung_Hlaing_at_the_Japanese_MOD_%281%29.jpg)
In October 2015, Kono joined the
Third Abe Cabinet
The Third Abe cabinet governed Japan under the leadership of the prime minister, Shinzō Abe, from December 2014 to November 2017. The government was a coalition between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito (which had changed its name fro ...
as Chairman of the
National Public Safety Commission, Minister in charge of Administrative Reform, Minister in charge of Civil Service Reform, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Food Safety, Minister of State for Regulatory Reform and Minister of State for Disaster Management. In this role, he was responsible for coordinating security measures for the
2016 G7 summit.
He left the cabinet in a reshuffle in August 2016.
Abe named Kono Foreign Minister on 3 August 2017, replacing
Fumio Kishida, who had served in that role since 2012 and had rarely publicly disagreed with Abe.
Kono was chosen over
Katsunobu Kato, after lengthy deliberation, for his superior English ability and his grasp of international issues, despite having a reputation as an outspoken and sometimes "eccentric" politician.
Foreign media reports considered Kono to be more dovish compared to Abe, and expected him to take a softer diplomatic approach to foreign policy.
Many analysts were particularly optimistic that Kono would adopt his father's friendly attitude toward China.
As foreign minister, Kono was responsible for coordinating Japan's response to the
North Korean crisis. He publicly urged countries to cut diplomatic and economic ties with North Korea following the announcement of enhanced sanctions by the US government in September 2017. Kono also reportedly pressed Iranian foreign minister
Javad Zarif to increase Iranian pressure on North Korea. Kono's father publicly criticized the government's approach to the crisis, claiming that it should be more cooperative with the Chinese government.
Late in the evening of 15 April 2018 in the flurry of exchanges after the tripartite missile strikes on Syria, Foreign Minister Kono received the first official visit from the Chinese counterpart since November 2009. The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited for several days during the leadup to Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe's visit to President Trump later that month. Kono was the first Japanese FM to host an official Chinese FM visit for nearly a decade.
Kono's past business, as well as political ties to the United States, make him very appealing to serve as Foreign Minister. Abe said of Kono appointment, "He has been to the United States many times and made friends there. He has also had exchanges with American politicians. I'm sure he'll serve (as minister) with an understanding of how to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance". Prime Minister Abe has made it explicitly clear that by appointing Kono to the position of Foreign Minister, he was trying to strengthen the already formidable Japanese American alliance. Kono's appointment to Foreign Minister has also been well received by Japan's surrounding neighbors”. Some Foreign Ministry officials say the appointment of Kono will be viewed favorably by China and South Korea.
As the foreign minister at the time, he was considered a leading figure behind
a trade dispute with South Korea although he was considered friendly with the country. He is also known as a leading figure of cancellation of Aegis ashore project.
Suga government
Incoming Prime Minister
Yoshihide Suga
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2020 to 2021. He had served as Chief Cabinet Secretary during the second administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe fro ...
moved Kono back to the position of Minister of State for Administrative Reform, while tapping Abe's younger brother
Nobuo Kishi
is a Japanese politician who serves as the Special Advisor to the Prime Minister for National Security Policy and Nuclear Disarmament Issues. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he previously served as Minister of Defense of Japan from S ...
to succeed Kono as defense minister. ''Nikkei'' described Kono as Suga's "point man for cutting
red tape," as Suga announced that government waste and sectionalism would be addressed by Kono's team. Suga used Kono’s new position as “drastic medicine” in an attempt to show his seriousness in the position. Commentator Michael Bosack described this post as a "downgrade" and "tantamount to a demotion," citing Kono's ambition to become prime minister as well as poor coordination of decisions with the party. On 18 January 2021, Suga announced that Kono would be in charge of overseeing the Japanese administration of the
COVID-19 vaccine.
2021 Liberal Democratic leadership election
On 3 September 2021, Kono announced his candidacy for the
Liberal Democratic Party leadership in the
2021 election. Following the surprise resignation announcement by Prime Minister Suga that day, Japanese media reported that Kono was Suga's first choice for a successor. However, according to journalist Kenji Goto, Deputy Prime Minister
Taro Aso
Taro () (''Colocasia esculenta)'' is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, and petioles. Taro corms are a food staple in Afric ...
, who led Kono's faction in the Diet, did not support Kono's candidacy, viewing it as too early.
He faced backlash for blocking those who criticized him during the election cycle. He stated that this was an attempt to protect himself from online abuse. The trend "Blocked by Mr. Kono" was trending as a result.
On 29 September, Kono made it into the second round run off with
Fumio Kishida, and lost with 170 votes to Kishida's 257 votes. Kishida subsequently appointed Kono to be the LDP's Public Relations chief.
Electoral history
Kono was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1996 representing Kanagawa 15th district, at the age of thirty-three years old. Kono is a very popular candidate winning Kanagawa's 15th district seat in seven consecutive elections.
In the 2000 Lower House Elections, Kono achieved reelection by winning 120,001 votes, which was good for 47.4 percent of the votes cast in his district.
In the 2003 Lower House Elections, Kono received 125,067 votes, which accounted for 55.4 percent of the votes cast in his district.
In the 2005 Lower House Elections, Kono won 186,770 votes, or 63.9 percent of the votes cast in his district.
In the 2009 Lower House Elections, Kono received 163,470 votes, which was good for 53.3 percent of the votes cast in his district.
Kono has fared well in his last two elections, winning re-election by overwhelming margins. In 2012, Kono received 192,604 votes winning over eighty percent of the vote in his district. This is an overwhelming margin of victory. In 2014, Kono did not win by quite as large of a margin. In 2014, Kono received 155,388 votes, which yielded him 68 percent of the vote in his district. Nevertheless, Kono received a large number of votes and won elections by sweeping margins.
Policy views
Kono is commonly dubbed as a political "maverick" and known for expressing his views on politically sensitive issues.
Unlike former Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe
Shinzo Abe ( ; ja, 安倍 晋三, Hepburn: , ; 21 September 1954 – 8 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 20 ...
and most of his cabinet, Kono is not affiliated with the ultra-conservative organization
.
Domestic policy
Taro Kono supports legalising
same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...
and allowing married couples to have separate surnames.
He established a House subcommittee on
genetically modified organisms in 1997 and supported new labeling rules on GMOs.
He opposes the government's nuclear policy, especially plans to pursue the nuclear fuel cycle and to build new power stations.
Before serving as Foreign Minister, Kono was on record as saying he would like the Japanese Government to curtail its reliance on nuclear energy going forward.
[Sieg, Linda, and Kiyoshi Takenaka; “A Maverick at Home, Japan's Taro Kono Set for Softer Diplomatic Approach Abroad.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 3 August 2017, www.reuters.com/article/japan-politics-kono/a-maverick-at-home-japans-taro-kono-set-for-softer-diplomatic-approach-abroad-idUSL4N1KP140.] He specifically opposed Government plans to build new nuclear reactors. Kono also believes Japan needs to be more prudent about the dangers of nuclear energy in the aftermath of the Fukushima Nuclear Explosion by limiting the number of years already operational nuclear stations are free to operate, "Kono has said he wants Japan to commit to phasing out nuclear power by shutting down reactors when they reach 40 years of service, contrasting the government’s policy of maintaining its nuclear reactors as a core energy source".
Kono believes that nuclear explosions and contamination are not the only dangers that result from Japan's reliance on nuclear energy: "We've been depending on the nuclear energy so much,"... "It's not the policy choice. It's because of those bureaucrats and the power company and the politician got some vested interest in promoting nuclear". Following his appointment as Foreign Minister on 3 August 2017, Kono has taken a partisan approach to nuclear energy policies. On 7 October 2015, he was asked at his inaugural news conference whether he would retain his criticism of Abe’s nuclear policy, Kono said he was "going in the same direction" as his boss.
Kono has said that he would not visit
Yasukuni Shrine
is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded by Emperor Meiji in June 1869 and commemorates those who died in service of Japan, from the Boshin War of 1868–1869, to the two Sino-Japanese Wars, 1894–1895 and 1937–1945 resp ...
if he was ever made prime minister, although he visits the shrine at present because he has relatives who died in the war. Kono believes that the best way for Japan to limit political backlash from their surrounding neighbors is to build a new shrine, "Kono said he supported building a new national memorial to honor the war dead, saying it would make it easier for the Emperor and the prime minister to pay their respects". Kono believes that building a new shrine will de-escalate tension from Japan's neighbors over Japan's prime minister visiting the current shrine, which honors 14 Class-A-War criminals. The
Japanese Emperor
The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his position is derived from "the w ...
does not currently visit Yasukuni Shrine.
He has supported raising the consumption tax rate to 8 percent, with the funds to be directed towards the National Pension.
Kono advocates for more immigration, having criticized the government's resistance to opening the door to immigrants in order to mitigate Japan's labor shortage as a result of its
aging and shrinking population.
In March 2019, Kono publicly made the proposal to end the common practice of expressing Japanese names in English or other foreign languages in the Western way, i.e. given name followed by family name, and to return to the Japanese traditional practice of putting the family name first. He stated that the start of the new
Reiwa
is the current Japanese era name, era of Japan's official calendar. It began on 1 May 2019, the day on which Emperor Akihito's elder son, Naruhito, Enthronement of the Japanese emperor, ascended the throne as the 126th Emperor of Japan. The ...
Japanese era name and the coming
2020 Summer Olympics
The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July.
Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...
to be held in Japan provide timely opportunities for initiating a reversal. Japan adopted on its own initiative the Western way of expressing names at the end of the 19th century, under the initiative of
Meiji era reformers..
In August 2020, Kono defended that
matrilineal
Matrilineality is the tracing of kinship through the female line. It may also correlate with a social system in which each person is identified with their matriline – their mother's lineage – and which can involve the inheritance ...
emperors, whose fathers have no bloodline connection with past emperors, should be considered to maintain stable succession of the Imperial Throne. He further proposed that it should be "possible that Imperial princesses (children or grandchildren of an emperor), including
Princess Aiko
is a member of the Japanese imperial family. She is the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan.
Birth
Princess Aiko was born on 1 December 2001 at 2:43 PM in the Imperial Household Agency Hospital in Tokyo Imperial Pala ...
(the daughter of Emperor
Naruhito
is the current Emperor of Japan. He acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on 1 May 2019, beginning the Reiwa era, following the abdication of his father, Akihito. He is the 126th monarch according to Japan's traditional order of succession ...
), could be accepted as the next emperor. He argued that under the current succession rules it would be difficult to allure any potential bride for the male heir, who would face enormous psychological pressure to become pregnant with a boy. Kono also questioned a proposal suggested by some conservative members of the
Liberal Democratic Party to reinstate members of former Imperial branch households to maintain
patrilineal
Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritan ...
lineage succession, saying, "There will be a need to have discussions whether the people of Japan will truly accept reinstating those who were separated from the Imperial Family some 600 years ago."
Foreign policy
Kono is considered to be an Asia-Centrist and has strong and friendly ties with the United States. Kono has long been an emphatic proponent of reinvigorating the alliance between South Korea and Japan, stating "We need an Asia-Centric policy that considers at the same time Japan's national interests and the interests of surrounding nations, and the focus of that is between Japan and Korea".
[Japanese Lawmaker Urges Asia-Centric Vision, Stronger Ties to Korea](_blank)
- OhmyNews International, 2 October 2004. The fixation on Asia-Centrism by Kono directly contrasts with the stance of most LDP politicians, who heavily stress Japan's relationship with the United States of America. Kono would like to entwine a greater business and economic relationship between the two nations. Kono is on record as saying, "I understand the problem as one in which Korea and Japan must pool their strength so that they might survive in the changing global environment".
Kono has taken several steps to forging a more vigorous relationship between Japan and Korea. Kono co-sponsored a bill which now allows direct air service between Gimpo, South Korea and Haneda airport in Tokyo.
Kono hopes that the direct flight between the two popular cities will make for easier travel by businessmen voyaging between the nations. Kono hopes that the less-restrictive travel process will give rise to increased commerce between the two nations. Kono, however, still believes there is much more work to be done to help generate more commerce between the two nations. Kono would like to see the extension of short terms visas up to three months from Korean nationals doing business in Japan. He is the only Japanese lawmaker who runs a Korean webpage, and provides internships to Korean nationals.
One of his Korean interns went on to become the Consul-General of South Korea in Kobe.
Kono has neither endorsed nor rejected his father's famous
Kono Statement
The Kono Statement refers to a statement released by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yōhei Kōno on August 4, 1993, after the conclusion of the government study that found that the Japanese Imperial Army had forced women, known as comfort women, to work ...
, which acknowledged the Japanese military's use of
comfort women during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.
He supports amendment of
Article 9 of the
Japanese Constitution
The Constitution of Japan (Shinjitai: , Kyūjitai: , Hepburn: ) is the constitution of Japan and the supreme law in the state. Written primarily by American civilian officials working under the Allied occupation of Japan, the constitution ...
, allowing the Self-Defense Forces to engage in warfare. He supports the
Japan-U.S. Security Treaty
The , more commonly known as the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty in English and as the or just in Japanese, is a treaty that permits the presence of U.S. military bases on Japanese soil, and commits the two nations to defend each other if one or th ...
, but seeks revision of the
Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA)
[JAPAN: Politician Reflects Tokyo's Ambivalence in Foreign Affairs](_blank)
IPS Asia-Pacific News On the issue of the
U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in the
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
n city of
Futenma, Kono's "off the record" views "conflict with the official Japanese position."
He opposes donation of development aid to any countries that have failed to ratify the
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a multilateral treaty to ban nuclear weapons test explosions and any other nuclear explosions, for both civilian and military purposes, in all environments. It was adopted by the United Nati ...
.
Personal life
Kono is married to Kaori, also a
returnee (''Kikokushijo'') who had studied in
Australia. The couple has a son, Ippei, born in 2002. The couple enjoy
scuba diving
Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving whereby divers use breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface air supply. The name "scuba", an acronym for " Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus", was coined by Chr ...
and going to the movies.
In 2002, when his father, Yōhei Kōno, fell ill from a chronic
hepatitis C infection, Kono offered a part of his
liver
The liver is a major organ only found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth. In humans, it ...
for donation. His father initially refused the offer, but eventually relented and accepted; in April 2002, Kono donated part of his liver to his father in a 15-hour operation. Kono has since supported changes to the law regarding
organ donation
Organ donation is the process when a person allows an organ of their own to be removed and transplanted to another person, legally, either by consent while the donor is alive or dead with the assent of the next of kin.
Donation may be for re ...
.
He has become involved in a number of bodies managing professional sports. He is Chairman of Shonan Bellmare, a professional football club, and of the Japan Race Horse Association, which organizes Japan's largest
yearling
Yearling may refer to:
*Yearling (horse), a horse between one and two years old
*''The Yearling
''The Yearling'' is a novel by American writer Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, published in March 1938. It was the main selection of the Book of the Mo ...
sales. He is also President of the Kanagawa Triathlon Union, the Kanagawa Track and Field Association, and the Hiratsuka Baseball Association. He teaches a graduate class at
Hosei University
is a private university based in Tokyo, Japan.
The university originated in a school of law, Tōkyō Hōgakusha (, i.e. Tokyo association of law), established in 1880, and the following year renamed Tōkyō Hōgakkō (, i.e. Tokyo school of law ...
.
Kono's favorite food is
durian. He was named the Honorary Chairman of the Japan Durian Promotion Association when it was established in January 2020.
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kono, Taro
1963 births
21st-century Japanese politicians
Fuji Xerox
Georgetown University alumni
Japanese football chairmen and investors
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) politicians
Living people
Members of the House of Representatives (Japan)
Organ transplant donors
People from Hiratsuka, Kanagawa
United States congressional aides
Foreign ministers of Japan
Japanese defense ministers
Politicians from Kanagawa Prefecture