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{{nihongo|'''Shōichi Nakagawa'''|中川昭一|Nakagawa Shōichi|extra=July 19, 1953 – October 4, 2009}} was a [[Japan]]ese conservative politician in the [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic Party]] (LDP), who served as [[Minister of Finance (Japan)|Minister of Finance]] from September 24, 2008, until February 17, 2009. He previously held the posts of [[Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (Japan)|Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry]] and [[Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan)|Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries]] in the cabinet of [[Junichiro Koizumi]]. He was regarded as one of Japan's most aesthetically appealing figures in public life.<ref name="Japan: Nakagawa found"/> On October 4, 2009, he was found dead in his Tokyo apartment. The cause of his death is yet to be determined.<ref>http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=88700&sid=25596416&con_type=3</ref>
{{nihongo|'''Shōichi Nakagawa'''|中川昭一|Nakagawa Shōichi|extra=July 19, 1953 – October 4, 2009}} was a [[Japan]]ese conservative politician in the [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic Party]] (LDP), who served as [[Minister of Finance (Japan)|Minister of Finance]] from September 24, 2008, until February 17, 2009. He previously held the posts of [[Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (Japan)|Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry]] and [[Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan)|Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries]] in the cabinet of [[Junichiro Koizumi]]. He was regarded as one of Japan's most aesthetically appealing figures in public life.<ref name="Japan: Nakagawa found"/> On October 4, 2009, he was found dead in his Tokyo apartment. The cause of his death is yet to be determined; although no [[suicide note]] was found, there was also no indication of foul play.<ref>http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=88700&sid=25596416&con_type=3</ref>


==Political career==
==Political career==

Revision as of 19:43, 6 October 2009

Shōichi Nakagawa
Minister of Finance of Japan
In office
September 24, 2008 – February 17, 2009
Preceded byBunmei Ibuki
Succeeded byKaoru Yosano
Personal details
Born(1953-07-19)19 July 1953
Tokyo, Japan
Died4 October 2009(2009-10-04) (aged 56)
Tokyo, Japan
Political partyLiberal Democratic Party
Alma materUniversity of Tokyo

Shōichi Nakagawa (中川昭一, Nakagawa Shōichi, July 19, 1953 – October 4, 2009) was a Japanese conservative politician in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), who served as Minister of Finance from September 24, 2008, until February 17, 2009. He previously held the posts of Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in the cabinet of Junichiro Koizumi. He was regarded as one of Japan's most aesthetically appealing figures in public life.[1] On October 4, 2009, he was found dead in his Tokyo apartment. The cause of his death is yet to be determined; although no suicide note was found, there was also no indication of foul play.[2]

Political career

Nakagawa was born in Tokyo and attended Azabu High School, graduated from the law faculty of the University of Tokyo in 1978 and entered the Industrial Bank of Japan. His father, a prominent Hokkaidō politician, Ichiro Nakagawa, committed suicide in 1983.

In 1998, Nakagawa became Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries under Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, and in 2003, he became Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in the cabinet of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. He served as Agriculture Minister from October 2005 to September 2006, when incoming prime minister Shinzo Abe appointed Nakagawa as chairman of the Policy Research Council of the LDP.

In December 2006, Kyodo News Agency quoted Nakagawa as having said the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were "truly unforgivable on humanitarian grounds" and reported the politician's concerns over the possession of nuclear weapons by North Korea.[3]

Nakagawa's views were close to those of Abe. In particular, both support nationalism in history education, a hard-line stance regarding North Korea and constitutional amendments. Abe has made efforts to relink ties with neighbouring China, while Nakagawa officially voiced his concern over the country's growing military expenditure, claiming that, were the situation in Taiwan to deteriorate, Japan would become, by 2020, a Chinese colony.[4]

On January 6, 2007, in an interview with a reporter from the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, Nakagawa stated "Women have their proper place: they should be womanly.... They have their own abilities and these should be fully exercised, for example in flower arranging, sewing, or cooking. It's not a matter of good or bad, but we need to accept reality that men and women are genetically different".[5]

In the Cabinet of Prime Minister Taro Aso, appointed on 24 September 2008, Nakagawa was appointed as Minister of Finance and Minister of State in charge of Financial Services.[6] He was defeated in his constituency in the Japanese general election, 2009.

Alcohol controversy

Nakagawa had been known for his extremely heavy drinking since a young age. An METI bureaucrat, who was a fellow of Nakagawa, witnessed that Nakagawa drunk so much especially before hosting big political conferences. [7]

Shōichi Nakagawa with Timothy F. Geithner, United States Secretary of the Treasury (Rome, February 13, 2009)

During the G7 meeting of finance ministers in Rome on February 14, 2009, Nakagawa was seen to be slurring his words and exhibiting other odd behavior, which some attributed to alcohol.[8][9] Nakagawa claimed that the reason for his drowsiness and slurred speech was that he had taken too much cold medicine before the meeting. After the meeting, he caused further controversy while visiting a museum in Vatican City, where he touched exhibits and set off an alarm after entering an off limits area. Despite calls for his resignation by opposition parties at the time, Nakagawa did not immediately resign; Prime Minister Taro Aso supported him and called for him to continue his duties as Finance Minister.[10] However, on February 17 Nakagawa announced that he had chosen to resign, and his resignation was accepted by Prime Minister Aso that evening.[11]

Death

Shōichi Nakagawa died on October 4, 2009, aged 56 at his apartment in Tokyo. Japanese media reports said he was found face down on the bed by his wife, with no external injuries.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18] She alerted ambulance services at approximately 8:30 am.[19] His death had taken place at least eight hours previously.[13][20][21] An investigation is underway to determine the cause of death.[22][23] An autopsy is being planned to determine the cause of death. A will has not been located.[18][20] Taro Aso, the former Japanese Prime Minister, was rendered speechless by the news: "I am so deeply shocked that I have no words".[1][24] Hirohisa Fujii, his successor as Finance Minister, also commented: "I want to express my heartfelt condolences. He was doing a fine job as a finance minister, so it is regrettable".[25] The Sydney Morning Herald said his death had "sent a shock wave throughout the nation".[21]

References

  1. ^ a b "Japan: Nakagawa found". iafrica. 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  2. ^ http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=88700&sid=25596416&con_type=3
  3. ^ [1] Mainichi Daily News, December 18, 2006
  4. ^ [2] Yahoo! World News, February 26, 2007
  5. ^ [3] The Daily Telegraph interview, January 6, 2007
  6. ^ "Aso elected premier / Announces Cabinet lineup himself; poll likely on Nov. 2" The Yomiuri Shimbun, September 25, 2008
  7. ^ ヤマ場になると飲まずにいられない…中川氏、失態いろいろTemplate:Jp icon 2009-02-18 Yomiuri Shimbun
  8. ^ "Shoichi Nakagawa G7 News Conference" The News Bizarre, February 16, 2009
  9. ^ "Japanese finance minister denies he was drunk at G-7" International Herald Tribune, February 16 2009]
  10. ^ "Nakagawa Says He Won't Resign After Meeting Aso (Update2)" Bloomberg.com, February 16, 2009
  11. ^ "Japan finance minister steps down", BBC News, February 17, 2009
  12. ^ BBC NEWS Asia-Pacific Japanese ex-minister found dead
  13. ^ a b "Ex-minister found dead". The Straits Times. 2009-10-05. Retrieved 2009-10-05. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  14. ^ "Ex-Japanese finance minister suicide unlikely - police". RIA Novosti. 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  15. ^ "Disgraced former finance minister found dead". France 24. 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  16. ^ "Disgraced Japanese minister found dead in bedroom". ABC News (Australia). 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  17. ^ "Mystery surrounds Nakagawa death". Euronews. 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  18. ^ a b "Controversial former Japanese finance minister found dead". CNN. 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  19. ^ "Japan's ex-Finance Minister found dead". Press Trust of India. 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  20. ^ a b "Former minister found dead in Japan". Al Jazeera. 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  21. ^ a b "Japan's ex-finance minister Nakagawa found dead: police". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2009-10-05. Retrieved 2009-10-05. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  22. ^ Former Japanese finance minister found dead, The Washington Post
  23. ^ "Former Japan Minister dies". The New Zealand Herald. 2009-10-05. Retrieved 2009-10-05. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  24. ^ David McNeill (2009-10-05). "Shamed Japanese ex-minister found dead". The Independent. Retrieved 2009-10-05. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  25. ^ Justin McCurry (2009-10-04). "Former Japanese finance minister found dead". The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-10-05. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Finance of Japan
2008–2009 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of State for Financial Services of Japan
2008–2009 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan
2005–2006 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan
2003–2005 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan
1998–1999 		Succeeded by

Template:Persondata

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