Noboru Takeshita

Masayoshi Ito, the ruling party's choice to succeed Noboru Takeshita as Japan's prime minister, informed Takeshita today that he will not accept any offer to take over as Takeshita's successor. Ito, chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's executive board, told the outgoing prime minister that any further delay in making his position clear would create an "imposition" on the ruling party. He also asked that a meeting of the party's chief executives be called later today to allow him to make his decision known to them.

Hundreds of people gathered at a Buddhist temple in downtown Tokyo on Wednesday to mourn Noboru Takeshita, one of Japan's political kingmakers long after he was driven from office as prime minister. The solemn sound of monks singing penetrated the muggy air as the private ceremony began. Takeshita, who died of respiratory failure Monday at age 76, was an influential and scandal-tainted politician who was forced from office in 1989 after admitting to accepting bribes from a marketing company.

Former Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita, known as the last "shadow shogun" of Japanese politics, died early today in Tokyo, Japanese media reported. He was 76. Takeshita, who had been hospitalized for more than a year, announced last month that he would not run in a general election scheduled June 25. His death was attributed to respiratory difficulties. Takeshita was the last of the puppet masters who could control politics from behind the scenes.

Former Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita, who died in his hospital bed this weekend after a long illness, almost singularly symbolized what has been wrong with the Japanese political system since the end of World War II. The best legacy of Takeshita's death would be to usher in a new era of Japanese politics in which there would be no more Takeshitas.

Emperor Hirohito, a man once despised by much of the world as the symbol of ruthless Japanese military aggression, was honored by the international community today as kings, presidents and other representatives of 163 countries attended his elaborate state funeral.

The last "shadow shogun" of Japanese politics, ailing former Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita, reportedly is retiring at age 76, setting the stage for a party power struggle here. "It's now going to be politics without a don," said Kenji Goto, a Takeshita-watcher and senior writer at Kyodo News Service. "Personalities will be less visible in Japanese politics, and there is no system for developing new leaders."

Former Japanese Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita leaves for Washington today for talks with President Bush and other Administration officials on bilateral trade issues.

Japan's new foreign minister, Hiroshi Mitsuzuka, said Friday he will visit Washington from June 25-28 for talks with U.S. leaders to strengthen bilateral relations soured by trade friction. It will be Mitsuzuka's first overseas trip since assuming the post earlier this month under new Prime Minister Sosuke Uno. He often made trips to Washington as international trade minister under Uno's predecessor, Noboru Takeshita.

A former secretary to Noboru Takeshita killed himself today after the prime minister announced he would resign partly because of financial dealings handled by the aide, police said. Japan Broadcasting Corp. said that Ihei Aoki, 58, committed suicide at his home in Tokyo. There was no immediate comment from Takeshita, whom Aoki had served as aide for three decades. Aoki had handled political donations, stock purchases and loans from Recruit Co., which is at the hub of the influence-buying scandal that toppled Takeshita.

Japan's governing Liberal Democratic Party, under attack for a stock scandal and a new sales tax, suffered a setback in a special parliamentary election. Socialist Sadao Fuchigami defeated Kei Oma of Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita's party to gain a seat in Parliament's upper house, election officials said. In his victory speech, Fuchigami told supporters: "The people's complaints against the (stock) scandal and consumer tax led to my victory."

Former Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita, known as the last "shadow shogun" of Japanese politics, died early today in Tokyo, Japanese media reported. He was 76. Takeshita, who had been hospitalized for more than a year, announced last month that he would not run in a general election scheduled June 25. His death was attributed to respiratory difficulties. Takeshita was the last of the puppet masters who could control politics from behind the scenes.

The last "shadow shogun" of Japanese politics, ailing former Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita, reportedly is retiring at age 76, setting the stage for a party power struggle here. "It's now going to be politics without a don," said Kenji Goto, a Takeshita-watcher and senior writer at Kyodo News Service. "Personalities will be less visible in Japanese politics, and there is no system for developing new leaders."

Noboru Takeshita, the former Japanese prime minister, admits he has no grand world vision. But his encyclopedic knowledge may count for more in Japan's political world. Takeshita has memorized who represents every political district in Japan. He can recite the birthdays and phone numbers of far-flung contacts. He knows which academic cliques the leading bureaucrats belong to and when they entered Japan's ministries.

A scandal involving an express delivery company and a motley cast of hundreds is shedding light on the close ties between Japan's political world and its shady underworld. The scandal began to unfold last summer when it was revealed that Tokyo Sagawa Kyubin, the Tokyo affiliate of a nationwide package delivery company, had lent or guaranteed loans worth billions of dollars to front companies for the late gangster boss Susumu Ishii.

Former Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita today denied charges that he had intervened to help a scandal-ridden express delivery company in exchange for the company's help in using gangsters to quiet a small group of his right-wing critics. His two hours of testimony before Japan's Parliament was part of a continuing effort to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding influence-buying by the delivery company Tokyo Sagawa Kyubin.

Former Foreign Minister Kiichi Miyazawa on Sunday appeared to win an endorsement giving him an edge over two rivals in a bid to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu. Shin Kanemaru, 77, a kingmaker of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, told supporters that the party's largest faction, of which he is the titular head, should get behind a candidate who is well versed in foreign affairs.

Veteran politician Noboru Takeshita was elected prime minister today and immediately appointed a Cabinet that is expected to continue trying to ease trade friction, especially with the United States. Takeshita, who was handpicked last month by his predecessor, Yasuhiro Nakasone, to head the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, won a strong 442 of the 744 votes cast in the Parliament, where the party holds a majority.

Four businessmen were formally charged with bribery in a stock scandal that has toppled several high officials of the Japanese government and tarnished the reputation of Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita. Those indicted included Hiromasa Ezoe, 52, founder and former chairman of the Recruit Co. conglomerate, and Hiroshi Kobayashi, 43, head of First Finance, a Recruit subsidiary that financed the insider stock sales involved in the scandal.

President Bush moved Monday to reinforce his warning to Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu earlier this month that Tokyo must move soon to open its markets or risk a serious political backlash here--and possible retaliation. Bush reiterated the theme in an hourlong private talk with former Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita, who is visiting here this week. Takeshita, Japan's most powerful politician, is regarded as the real political force behind Kaifu.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita leaves for Washington today for talks with President Bush and other Administration officials on bilateral trade issues.