Taro Kono

Taro Kono

Taro Kono (河野 太郎, Kōno Tarō, born January 10, 1963) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). Born in Hiratsuka, Odawara, Kanagawa and graduate of Keio University, he was elected for the first time in 1996. In 2009 he campaigned to be made President of the LDP.[2] His father is Yōhei Kōno, the only president of the Liberal Democratic Party to have not become a Prime Minister of Japan.

Life and career outside of parliament

Kono was born on the 1st October, 1963, in Hiratsuka, Odawara, as the oldest son of three children.

• Attended Hanamizu Elementary School, Keio Middle School, and then Keio High School.
• In 1981 entered Keio University as an undergraduate to study economics.
• In 1982 went to America, attending the Suffield Academy, and Georgetown University, where he studied comparative politics.
• In 1983, he worked for Alan Cranston in his bid for the Democratic Party presidential nomination. He also worked for Congressman Richard Shelby of Alabama for two years.
• He also spent time at the Warsaw School of Economics, Poland, during which he spent a night in prison, having visited the home of Solidarity leader, Lech Wałęsa.
• He graduated from Keio University in 1985.
• In 1986 he joined Fuji Xerox. He moved to Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific in Singapore in 1991.
• In 1993 he joined Nippon Tanshi, a supplier of electric components for Toyota, GM and Matsushita and other companies.
• Chairman of Shonan Bellmare, a professional football club.
• Chairman of the Japan Race Horse Association, which organizes Japan's largest yearling sales.
• President, Kanagawa Triathlon Union.
• President, Kanagawa Track and Field Association
• President, Hiratsuka Baseball Association.
• Teaches a graduate class at Hosei University.

He is married to Kaori, a returnee from Australia, with a son, Ippei, born in 2002. The two enjoy scuba diving and going to the movies.

Political career

Local district Kono 15th district of Kanagawa Prefecture.

Kono was first elected to the House of Representatives of Japan as a Liberal Democratic member in October 1996, at age 33, and was re-elected in June 2000, November 2003 and September 2005.

His winning majority increased from 13,297 in 1996 to 63,058 in 2000, 71,968 in 2003, and 103,280 in 2005. In the 2005 General Election, the total votes Kono received was 186,770, the second largest number in Japan's electoral history; second only to the then Prime Minister Koizumi's in the same election.

Government

• January 2002 to October 2002: Parliamentary Secretary for Public Management, the position responsible for administrative reforms, local governments, and e-Government.
• November 2, 2005 to September 26, 2006. Senior Vice Minister of Justice under Koizumi's government.

Liberal Democratic Party Jiminto

• 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, Kono led the Party in Kanagawa in the 2005 General Election and managed all 17 LDP candidates in Kanagawa Prefecture elected to the House. The opposition parties lost all district seats in the prefecture for the first time, leading to Kono to tender his resignation.
• Kono remained as the Acting Chairman of the Party Committee until November 2003, and was one of the few LDP Members to oppose the dispatch of the Self Defense Forces to Iraq.

Legislative record

• January 2002 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Public Management.
• As a new MP, Kono established a House subcommittee on Genetically Modified Organisms in 1997 and supported new labeling rules on GMOs.
• In October 2002 Kono was named the Director of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. He resigned from his position two months later in protest over the Iraq War, accusing Foreign Minister Kawaguchi of not adequately explained the Japanese Government's policy.
• In 2004 Kono co-sponsored the Economic Sanction Amendment to the Foreign Exchange Law, which gives the Japanese Government power to unilaterally declare an economic sanction on any state; and the Port Close Bill which allows the Government to refuse the entry of foreign ships from Japanese ports. His website states that: "North Korea was the target"
• Supported Anti-Skimming law.
• Sponsored the United Nations Reform Bill that would require the Japanese Government to reduce its voluntary contributions to the UN Systems by 10% each year, until changes were made to the Security Council.

Other positions held

• Member of Economy standing committee.
• Member of Environment standing committee.
• Member of Health, Labour and Welfare standing committee.
• Member of Trade and Industry standing committee.
• Member of Finance standing committee.

• Member of Consumer Affairs special committee.
• Member of Children and Youth Affairs special committee.

Policy positions As stated on his website, Kono:

• He is reported as being the only Japanese law-maker who runs a Korean webpage and as someone who "actively makes use of intern visas for Koreans"
• Opposes the government's nuclear policy, especially plans to pursue the nuclear fuel cycle, and to build new power stations.
• Would not attend Yasakuni shrine if made Prime Minister. Although he visits Yasakuni Shrine because he has relatives who died in the war, he opposes the enshrining of war-criminals there. Supports a new multi-faith memorial. [3]
• Supports amendment of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, allowing the Self-Defense Forces to engage in warfare.
• Supports the Japan-US Security Treaty, but seeks revision of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA)
• On the issue of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in the Okinawan city of Futenma, Kono's "off the record" views, "conflict with the official Japanese position."
• Has publicly supported requests for an American nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to replace the Kitty Hawk in Yokosuka by 2008.
• Opposes donation of development aid to any countries that have failed to ratify the Complete Test Ban Treaty.
• Supports raising the Consumption Tax rate to 8%, with the funds to be directed towards the National Pension.

Politics and the family

Kono was born to a family of politicians; his father, Yōhei Kōno, his grandfather, Ichirō Kōno, and great uncle, Kenzō Kōno, were all politicians. In 2003, Yōhei Kōno was made chairman of the House of Representatives, while Kenzo Kono was chairman of the House of Councillors between 1971 and 1977. According to the NY Times, such a situation is not rare, and more than a quarter of Parliament consists of children of past or current members.

For various reasons Japan has a national shortage of organ donors. When his father Yōhei Kōno was ill from a 30 year old hepatitis C infection, Kono offered a part of his liver. This led to a public argument as his father refused the offer. Eventually his father accepted, and in April 2002, Kono donated part of his liver in a 15 hour operation. Kono has since supported changes to the law regarding organ donation.

References

• "政治家情報 〜河野 太郎〜". ザ･選挙 (in Japanese). JANJAN. Retrieved 2007-10-20. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

External links

• Official website in English.
• Official website in Japanese.