Yasuo Fukuda, Former Japan PM Who Worked To Improve Ties With China, Dies At The Age Of 90

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, known for seeking closer ties with China and other Asian neighbours, has died at the age of 90. He died of heart failure at a Tokyo hospital on October 22, with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party announcing his death on Monday, October 26, according to media reports.

Fukuda served as prime minister from September 2007 to September 2008, taking office after Shinzo Abe resigned for health reasons. He was Japan’s first prime minister whose father had also held the post. His father, Takeo Fukuda, led the country from 1976 to 1978.

Born into a political family in Gunma Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, Fukuda graduated in economics from Waseda University and worked for an oil company for more than 17 years, including a posting in the United States. He entered politics as his father’s secretary in 1976 and was elected to Japan’s lower house of parliament in 1990. He later served as chief cabinet secretary from 2000 to 2004.

Fukuda made improving relations with Asian neighbours, particularly China, a priority. Three months after becoming prime minister, he visited China and invited then-President Hu Jintao to Japan. Hu visited Tokyo in May 2008, becoming the first Chinese head of state to visit Japan in a decade. The two leaders issued a joint statement pledging to build a mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests.

His approach sought to repair relations strained by historical disputes and former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi’s visits to Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine. After retiring from electoral politics in 2012, Fukuda continued promoting dialogue with Beijing. In 2014, he met Chinese President Xi Jinping amid tensions over disputed islands and historical grievances. The engagement helped create conditions for a subsequent summit between Xi and Abe.

Fukuda also chaired the 2008 Group of Eight (G8) summit in Hokkaido, where leaders discussed climate change, the global economy and development. The summit backed efforts to pursue a long-term global goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 per cent by 2050.

However, his premiership was overshadowed by domestic political deadlock. Opposition parties controlled the upper house of parliament, obstructing legislation and complicating his government’s agenda. Facing stalled policymaking and declining public support, Fukuda resigned in September 2008, less than a year after taking office.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed deep sorrow over his death, praising his efforts to communicate Japan’s position on international issues and strengthen its global standing. Fukuda is survived by his son, Tatsuo Fukuda, a lawmaker who has been viewed as a potential future prime minister.