(Morning News) Former Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaibe has died at the age of 91. He became prime minister in August 1989, the first Japanese prime minister born in the Showa era.
Toshiki Kaibe died on January 9 at the age of 91, NHK reported. He was prime minister between August 1989 and November 1991, undertaking political reforms. He was elected to the House of Representatives 16 times and served for 48 years. He withdrew from politics following losing the House of Representatives election in 2009.
Toshiki Kaibe was born in Nagoya City in 1931. He ran for the House of Representatives for the first time in 1960 and was elected.
Kaibu was the first Prime Minister born in the Showa era, and liked to wear a tie with a waterdrop pattern as his trademark. With a fresh image and popular support, he led the Liberal Democrats to win the House of Representatives election in 1990.
In August 1990, the Iraqi army attacked Kuwait, which led to the outbreak of the Persian Gulf War. Toshiki Kaibu’s cabinet was cautious regarding sending the Self-Defense Forces, and later decided to provide US$13 billion (S$17.5 billion) to the multi-national army led by the United States. After the Persian Gulf War, he decided to send the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force minesweepers to the Persian Gulf.
According to the diplomatic documents declassified by the Japanese government on December 22 last year, we learned from the testimony of former Japanese government officials that during the Persian Gulf crisis in August 1990, US President Bush asked Toshiki Kaibu to send the Self-Defense Forces to provide rear support for the US military. .
Haibu actively carried out political reforms during his tenure as Prime Minister. He once proposed a political reform bill such as the implementation of the small electoral district system to the Congress, but was opposed by the party and the bill was not passed. He stepped down in November 1991.
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