The prime minister of Japan is the country's head of government and the leader of the Cabinet. This is a list of prime ministers of Japan, from when the first Japanese prime minister (in the modern sense), Itō Hirobumi, took office in 1885, until the present day.
The west façade of the Naikaku Sōri Daijin Kantei (valley side), the official residence of the prime minister
The east façade of the Kantei
32 prime ministers under the Meiji Constitution had a mandate from the Emperor. The "electoral mandates" shown are for the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Imperial Diet, which was not constitutionally guaranteed to have any influence on the appointment of the prime minister.
The prime minister under the Constitution of Japan is designated from among the members of the National Diet, and appointed by the Emperor after being nominated by the National Diet.
The prime ministership of Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni, who was prime minister for fifty-four days in 1945, was the shortest in Japanese history. Shinzo Abe served the longest, with eight years over two non-consecutive periods.
The current prime minister is Fumio Kishida, who assumed office on 4 October 2021.[1] There are currently ten living former prime ministers. The most recent former prime minister to die, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated on 8 July 2022.[2]
From 1871 to 1885
The office of Daijō-daijin (太政大臣, Chancellor of the Realm of Japan) was the equivalent of what would become the office of prime minister. It was an ancient role which had been discontinued in the 18th century and briefly revived during the Meiji era.
Daijō-daijin (Chancellor of the Realm)
| Portrait | Daijō-daijin Office (Lifespan) | Term of office | Mandate | Party | Government | Emperor Reign | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| start | end | duration | |||||||
.jpg) | Prince Sanjō Sanetomi 三條 實美 (1837–1891) | 13 September 1871 | 22 December 1885 | 14 years, 101 days | — | None | Meiji | ||
The office of Daijō-daijin was abolished in December 1885 with the appointment of Itō Hirobumi in the new position of prime minister of Japan (内閣総理大臣, Naikaku Sōri-Daijin).
Since 1885
Prime ministers
- Nonpartisan (9)
- Kenseitō (1)
- Rikken Seiyūkai (6)
- Rikken Dōshikai (1)
- Kenseikai (2)
- Rikken Minseitō (2)
- Taisei Yokusankai (4)
- Imperial Family (1)
- Liberal (1945–1948) (1)
- Socialist (2)
- Democratic (1947–1950) (1)
- Democratic Liberal (1)
- Liberal (1950–1955) (1)
- Liberal Democratic (24)
- New (1)
- Renewal (1)
- Democratic (1998–2016) (3)
| Portrait | Prime minister Office (Lifespan) | Term of office | Mandate | Party | Government | Emperor Reign | Ref | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | Duration | ||||||||
 | Count Itō Hirobumi 伊藤 博文 (1841–1909) | 22 December 1885 | 30 April 1888 | 2 years, 131 days | — | Independent (Meiji oligarchy) | 1. Itō I | Meiji | [3] | |
 | Count Kuroda Kiyotaka 黒田 清隆 (1840–1900) | 30 April 1888 | 25 October 1889 | 1 year, 179 days | — | Military (Army) | 2. Kuroda | [4] | ||
| | Prince Sanjō Sanetomi 三條 實美 (1837–1891) Caretaker | 25 October 1889 | 24 December 1889 | 61 days | — | Independent | Sanjō caretaker | |||
 | Count Yamagata Aritomo 山縣 有朋 (1838–1922) | 24 December 1889 | 6 May 1891 | 1 year, 134 days | — | Military (Army) | 3. Yamagata I | [5] | ||
| 1890 | ||||||||||
.jpg) | Count Matsukata Masayoshi 松方 正義 (1835–1924) | 6 May 1891 | 8 August 1892 | 1 year, 95 days | — | Independent (Meiji oligarchy) | 4. Matsukata I | [6] | ||
| 1892 | ||||||||||
 | Marquess Itō Hirobumi 伊藤 博文 (1841–1909) | 8 August 1892 | 31 August 1896 | 4 years, 24 days | — | Independent (Meiji oligarchy) | 5. Itō II | [7] | ||
| Mar.1894 | ||||||||||
| Sep.1894 | ||||||||||
| During this interval, Privy Council chairman Kuroda Kiyotaka was the acting prime minister. | ||||||||||
 | Count Matsukata Masayoshi 松方 正義 (1835–1924) | 18 September 1896 | 12 January 1898 | 1 year, 117 days | — | Independent (Meiji oligarchy) | 6. Matsukata II | [8] | ||
 | Marquess Itō Hirobumi 伊藤 博文 (1841–1909) | 12 January 1898 | 30 June 1898 | 170 days | — | Independent (Meiji oligarchy) | 7. Itō III | [9] | ||
| Mar.1898 | ||||||||||
 | Count Ōkuma Shigenobu 大隈 重信 (1838–1922) | 30 June 1898 | 8 November 1898 | 132 days | — | Kenseitō | 8. Ōkuma I | [10] | ||
| Aug.1898 | ||||||||||
| | Count Yamagata Aritomo 山縣 有朋 (1838–1922) | 8 November 1898 | 19 October 1900 | 1 year, 346 days | — | Military (Army) | 9. Yamagata II | [11] | ||
 | Marquess Itō Hirobumi 伊藤 博文 (1841–1909) | 19 October 1900 | 10 May 1901 | 204 days | — | Rikken Seiyūkai | 10. Itō IV | [12] | ||
| During this interval, Privy Council president Saionji Kinmochi was the acting prime minister. | ||||||||||
 | Count Katsura Tarō 桂 太郎 (1848–1913) | 2 June 1901 | 7 January 1906 | 4 years, 220 days | — | Military (Army) | 11. Katsura I | [13] | ||
| 1902 | ||||||||||
| 1903 | ||||||||||
| 1904 | ||||||||||
 | Marquess Saionji Kinmochi 西園寺 公望 (1849–1940) | 7 January 1906 | 14 July 1908 | 2 years, 190 days | — | Rikken Seiyūkai | 12. Saionji I | [14] | ||
| 1908 | ||||||||||
| | Prince Katsura Tarō 桂 太郎 (1848–1913) | 14 July 1908 | 30 August 1911 | 3 years, 48 days | — | Military (Army) | 13. Katsura II | [15] | ||
 | Marquess Saionji Kinmochi 西園寺 公望 (1849–1940) | 30 August 1911 | 21 December 1912 | 1 year, 114 days | — | Rikken Seiyūkai | 14. Saionji II | [16] | ||
| 1912 | ||||||||||
Taishō.jpg) | ||||||||||
| | Prince Katsura Tarō 桂 太郎 (1848–1913) | 21 December 1912 | 20 February 1913 | 62 days | — | Independent | 15. Katsura III | [17] | ||
 | Count Yamamoto Gonnohyōe 山本 權兵衛 (1852–1933) | 20 February 1913 | 16 April 1914 | 1 year, 56 days | — | Military (Navy) | 16. Yamamoto I | [18] | ||
 | Marquess Ōkuma Shigenobu 大隈 重信 (1838–1922) | 16 April 1914 | 9 October 1916 | 2 years, 177 days | — | Rikken Dōshikai | 17. Ōkuma II | [19] | ||
| 1915 | ||||||||||
 | Count Terauchi Masatake 寺内 正毅 (1852–1919) | 9 October 1916 | 29 September 1918 | 1 year, 356 days | — | Military (Army) | 18. Terauchi | [20] | ||
| 1917 | ||||||||||
 | Hara Takashi 原 敬 Rep for Morioka (1856–1921) | 29 September 1918 | 4 November 1921 | 3 years, 37 days[†] | — | Rikken Seiyūkai | 19. Hara | [21] | ||
| 1920 | ||||||||||
| During this interval, Foreign Minister Uchida Kōsai was the acting prime minister. | ||||||||||
 | Viscount Takahashi Korekiyo 高橋 是清 (1854–1936) | 13 November 1921 | 12 June 1922 | 212 days | — | Rikken Seiyūkai | 20. Takahashi | [22] | ||
 | Baron Katō Tomosaburō 加藤 友三郎 (1861–1923) | 12 June 1922 | 24 August 1923 | 1 year, 74 days[†] | — | Military (Navy) | 21. Katō To. | [23] | ||
| During this interval, Foreign Minister Uchida Kōsai was the acting prime minister. | ||||||||||
| | Count Yamamoto Gonnohyōe 山本 權兵衛 (1852–1933) | 2 September 1923 | 7 January 1924 | 128 days | — | Military (Navy) | 22. Yamamoto II | [24] | ||
 | Viscount Kiyoura Keigo 清浦 奎吾 (1850–1942) | 7 January 1924 | 11 June 1924 | 157 days | — | Independent | 23. Kiyoura | [25] | ||
 | Viscount Katō Takaaki 加藤 高明 (1860–1926) | 11 June 1924 | 28 January 1926 | 1 year, 232 days[†] | 1924 | Kenseikai | 24. Katō Ta. | [26] | ||
| During this interval, Interior Minister Wakatsuki Reijirō was the acting prime minister. | ||||||||||
 | Wakatsuki Reijirō 若槻 禮次郎 (1866–1949) | 30 January 1926 | 20 April 1927 | 1 year, 81 days | — | Kenseikai | 25. Wakatsuki I | [27] | ||
Shōwa.jpg) | ||||||||||
 | Baron Tanaka Giichi 田中 義一 (1864–1929) | 20 April 1927 | 2 July 1929 | 2 years, 74 days | — | Rikken Seiyūkai | 26. Tanaka G. | [28] | ||
| 1928 | ||||||||||
 | Hamaguchi Osachi 濱口 雄幸 Rep for Kochi 2nd (1870–1931) | 2 July 1929 | 14 April 1931 | 1 year, 287 days | — | Rikken Minseitō | 27. Hamaguchi | [29] | ||
| 1930 | ||||||||||
| During this interval, Foreign Minister Kijūrō Shidehara was the acting prime minister. | ||||||||||
 | Baron Wakatsuki Reijirō 若槻 禮次郎 (1866–1949) | 14 April 1931 | 13 December 1931 | 244 days | — | Rikken Minseitō | 28. Wakatsuki II | [30] | ||
 | Inukai Tsuyoshi 犬養 毅 Rep for Okayama 2nd (1855–1932) | 13 December 1931 | 15 May 1932 | 155 days[†] | — | Rikken Seiyūkai | 29. Inukai | [31] | ||
| 1932 | ||||||||||
| During this interval, Finance Minister Takahashi Korekiyo was the acting prime minister. | ||||||||||
 | Viscount Saitō Makoto 齋藤 實 (1858–1936) | 26 May 1932 | 8 July 1934 | 2 years, 44 days | — | Military (Navy) | 30. Saitō | [32] | ||
 | Keisuke Okada 岡田 啓介 (1868–1952) | 8 July 1934 | 9 March 1936 | 1 year, 246 days | — | Military (Navy) | 31. Okada | [33] | ||
| 1936 | ||||||||||
| During this interval, Interior Minister Fumio Gotō was the acting prime minister. | ||||||||||
 | Kōki Hirota 廣田 弘毅 (1878–1948) | 9 March 1936 | 2 February 1937 | 331 days | — | Independent | 32. Hirota | [34] | ||
 | Senjūrō Hayashi 林 銑十郞 (1876–1943) | 2 February 1937 | 4 June 1937 | 123 days | — | Military (Army) | 33. Hayashi | [35] | ||
| 1937 | ||||||||||
.jpg) | Prince Fumimaro Konoe 近衞 文麿 (1891–1945) | 4 June 1937 | 5 January 1939 | 1 year, 216 days | — | Independent | 34. Konoe I | [36] | ||
 | Baron Kiichirō Hiranuma 平沼 騏一郞 (1867–1952) | 5 January 1939 | 30 August 1939 | 238 days | — | Independent | 35. Hiranuma | [37] | ||
 | Nobuyuki Abe 阿部 信行 (1875–1953) | 30 August 1939 | 16 January 1940 | 140 days | — | Military (Army) | 36. N. Abe | [38] | ||
 | Mitsumasa Yonai 米内 光政 (1880–1948) | 16 January 1940 | 22 July 1940 | 189 days | — | Military (Navy) | 37. Yonai | [39] | ||
 | Prince Fumimaro Konoe 近衞 文麿 (1891–1945) | 22 July 1940 | 18 October 1941 | 1 year, 89 days | — | Independent | 38. Konoe II | [40] | ||
| Taisei Yokusankai | ||||||||||
| 39. Konoe III | [41] | |||||||||
 | Hideki Tōjō 東條 英機 (1884–1948) | 18 October 1941 | 22 July 1944 | 2 years, 279 days | — | Taisei Yokusankai | 40. Tōjō | [42] | ||
| 1942 | ||||||||||
 | Kuniaki Koiso 小磯 國昭 (1880–1950) | 22 July 1944 | 7 April 1945 | 260 days | — | Taisei Yokusankai | 41. Koiso | [43] | ||
 | Baron Kantarō Suzuki 鈴木 貫太郞 (1868–1948) | 7 April 1945 | 17 August 1945 | 133 days | — | Taisei Yokusankai | 42. K. Suzuki | [44] | ||
| Independent | ||||||||||
 | Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni 東久邇宮稔彦王 (1887–1990) | 17 August 1945 | 9 October 1945 | 54 days | — | Imperial Family | 43. Higashikuni | [45] | ||
 | Baron Kijūrō Shidehara 幣原 喜重郞 (1872–1951) | 9 October 1945 | 22 May 1946 | 226 days | — | Independent | 44. Shidehara | [46] | ||
 | Shigeru Yoshida 吉田 茂 (1878–1967) | 22 May 1946 | 24 May 1947 | 1 year, 3 days | 1946 | Liberal | 45. Yoshida I | [47] | ||
 | Tetsu Katayama 片山 哲 Rep for Kanagawa 3rd (1887–1978) | 24 May 1947 | 10 March 1948 | 292 days | 1947 | Socialist | 46. Katayama | [48] | ||
 | Hitoshi Ashida 芦田 均 Rep for Kyōto 2nd (1887–1959) | 10 March 1948 | 15 October 1948 | 220 days | — | Democratic | 47. Ashida | [49] | ||
| | Shigeru Yoshida 吉田 茂 Rep for Kōchi At-large (1878–1967) | 15 October 1948 | 10 December 1954 | 6 years, 57 days | — | Democratic Liberal | 48. Yoshida II | [50] | ||
| 1949 | 49. Yoshida III | [51] | ||||||||
| Liberal | ||||||||||
| 1952 | 50. Yoshida IV | [52] | ||||||||
| 1953 | 51. Yoshida V | [53] | ||||||||
 | Ichirō Hatoyama 鳩山 一郎 Rep for Tokyo 1st (1883–1959) | 10 December 1954 | 23 December 1956 | 2 years, 14 days | — | Japan Democratic | 52. Hatoyama I. I | [54] | ||
| 1955 | 53. Hatoyama I. II | [55] | ||||||||
| — | Liberal Democratic | 54. Hatoyama I. III | [56] | |||||||
 | Tanzan Ishibashi 石橋 湛山 Rep for Shizuoka 2nd (1884–1973) | 23 December 1956 | 25 February 1957 | 65 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 55. Ishibashi | [57] | ||
 | Nobusuke Kishi 岸 信介 Rep for Yamaguchi 2nd (1896–1987) | 25 February 1957 | 19 July 1960 | 3 years, 146 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 56. Kishi I | [58] | ||
| 1958 | 57. Kishi II | [59] | ||||||||
_restored.jpg) | Hayato Ikeda 池田 勇人 Rep for Hiroshima 2nd (1899–1965) | 19 July 1960 | 9 November 1964 | 4 years, 114 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 58. Ikeda I | [60] | ||
| 1960 | 59. Ikeda II | [61] | ||||||||
| 1963 | 60. Ikeda III | [62] | ||||||||
 | Eisaku Satō 佐藤 榮作 Rep for Yamaguchi 2nd (1901–1975) | 9 November 1964 | 7 July 1972 | 7 years, 242 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 61. Satō I | [63] | ||
| 1967 | 62. Satō II | [64] | ||||||||
| 1969 | 63. Satō III | [65] | ||||||||
 | Kakuei Tanaka 田中 角榮 Rep for Niigata 3rd (1918–1993) | 7 July 1972 | 9 December 1974 | 2 years, 156 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 64. Tanaka K. I | [66] | ||
| 1972 | 65. Tanaka K. II | [67] | ||||||||
 | Takeo Miki 三木 武夫 Rep for Tokushima At-large (1907–1988) | 9 December 1974 | 24 December 1976 | 2 years, 16 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 66. Miki | [68] | ||
 | Takeo Fukuda 福田 赳夫 Rep for Gunma 3rd (1905–1995) | 24 December 1976 | 7 December 1978 | 1 year, 349 days | 1976 | Liberal Democratic | 67. Fukuda T. | [69] | ||
 | Masayoshi Ōhira 大平 正芳 Rep for Kagawa 2nd (1910–1980) | 7 December 1978 | 12 June 1980 | 1 year, 189 days[†] | — | Liberal Democratic | 68. Ōhira I | [70] | ||
| 1979 | 69. Ōhira II | [71] | ||||||||
| During this interval, Chief Cabinet Secretary Masayoshi Ito was the acting prime minister. | ||||||||||
 | Zenkō Suzuki 鈴木 善幸 Rep for Iwate 1st (1911–2004) | 17 July 1980 | 27 November 1982 | 2 years, 134 days | 1980 | Liberal Democratic | 70. Suzuki Z. | [72] | ||
 | Yasuhiro Nakasone 中曽根 康弘 Rep for Gunma 3rd (1918–2019) | 27 November 1982 | 6 November 1987 | 4 years, 345 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 71. Nakasone I | [73] | ||
| 1983 | 72. Nakasone II | [74] | ||||||||
| 1986 | 73. Nakasone III | [75] | ||||||||
 | Noboru Takeshita 竹下 登 Rep for Shimane At-large (1924–2000) | 6 November 1987 | 3 June 1989 | 1 year, 210 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 74. Takeshita | [76] | ||
| Akihito (Heisei) .jpg) | ||||||||||
 | Sōsuke Uno 宇野 宗佑 Rep for Shiga At-large (1922–1998) | 3 June 1989 | 10 August 1989 | 69 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 75. Uno | [77] | ||
 | Toshiki Kaifu 海部 俊樹 Rep for Aichi 3rd (1931–2022) | 10 August 1989 | 5 November 1991 | 2 years, 88 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 76. Kaifu I | [78] | ||
| 1990 | 77. Kaifu II | [79] | ||||||||
 | Kiichi Miyazawa 宮澤 喜一 Rep for Hiroshima 3rd (1919–2007) | 5 November 1991 | 9 August 1993 | 1 year, 278 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 78. Miyazawa | [80] | ||
 | Morihiro Hosokawa 細川 護熙 Rep for Kumamoto 1st (born 1938) | 9 August 1993 | 28 April 1994 | 263 days | 1993 | New | 79. Hosokawa | [81] | ||
 | Tsutomu Hata 羽田 孜 Rep for Nagano 2nd (1935–2017) | 28 April 1994 | 30 June 1994 | 64 days | — | Renewal | 80. Hata | [82] | ||
 | Tomiichi Murayama 村山 富市 Rep for Ōita 1st (born 1924) | 30 June 1994 | 11 January 1996 | 1 year, 196 days | — | Socialist | 81. Murayama | [83] | ||
 | Ryūtarō Hashimoto 橋本 龍太郎 Rep for Okayama 4th (1937–2006) | 11 January 1996 | 30 July 1998 | 2 years, 201 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 82. Hashimoto I | [84] | ||
| 1996 | 83. Hashimoto II | [85] | ||||||||
 | Keizō Obuchi 小渕 恵三 Rep for Gunma 5th (1937–2000) | 30 July 1998 | 5 April 2000 | 1 year, 251 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 84. Obuchi | [86] | ||
 | Yoshirō Mori 森 喜朗 Rep for Ishikawa 2nd (born 1937) | 5 April 2000 | 26 April 2001 | 1 year, 22 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 85. Mori I | [87] | ||
| 2000 | 86. Mori II | [88] | ||||||||
.jpg) | Junichiro Koizumi 小泉 純一郎 Rep for Kanagawa 11th (born 1942) | 26 April 2001 | 26 September 2006 | 5 years, 154 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 87. Koizumi I | [89] | ||
| 2003 | 88. Koizumi II | [90] | ||||||||
| 2005 | 89. Koizumi III | [91] | ||||||||
 | Shinzo Abe 安倍 晋三 Rep for Yamaguchi 4th (1954–2022) | 26 September 2006 | 26 September 2007 | 1 year, 1 day | — | Liberal Democratic | 90. Abe S. I | [92] | ||
 | Yasuo Fukuda 福田 康夫 Rep for Gunma 4th (born 1936) | 26 September 2007 | 24 September 2008 | 365 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 91. Fukuda Y. | [93] | ||
 | Tarō Asō 麻生 太郎 Rep for Fukuoka 8th (born 1940) | 24 September 2008 | 16 September 2009 | 358 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 92. Asō | [94] | ||
 | Yukio Hatoyama 鳩山 由紀夫 Rep for Hokkaido 9th (born 1947) | 16 September 2009 | 8 June 2010 | 266 days | 2009 | Democratic | 93. Hatoyama Y. | [95] | ||
 | Naoto Kan 菅 直人 Rep for Tokyo 18th (born 1946) | 8 June 2010 | 2 September 2011 | 1 year, 87 days | — | Democratic | 94. Kan | [96] | ||
 | Yoshihiko Noda 野田 佳彦 Rep for Chiba 4th (born 1957) | 2 September 2011 | 26 December 2012 | 1 year, 116 days | — | Democratic | 95. Noda | [97] | ||
.jpg) | Shinzo Abe 安倍 晋三 Rep for Yamaguchi 4th (1954–2022) | 26 December 2012 | 16 September 2020 | 7 years, 266 days | 2012 | Liberal Democratic | 96. Abe S. II | [98] | ||
| 2014 | 97. Abe S. III | [99] | ||||||||
| 2017 | 98. Abe S. IV | [100] | ||||||||
| Naruhito (Reiwa) .jpg) | ||||||||||
 | Yoshihide Suga 菅 義偉 Rep for Kanagawa 2nd (born 1948) | 16 September 2020 | 4 October 2021 | 1 year, 19 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 99. Suga | [101] | ||
 | Fumio Kishida 岸田 文雄 Rep for Hiroshima 1st (born 1957) | 4 October 2021 | Incumbent | 2 years, 213 days | — | Liberal Democratic | 100. Kishida I | [102] | ||
| 2021 | 101. Kishida II (R1) (R2) | [103] | ||||||||
Timeline
Relations between Japanese prime ministers
| Relations | Japanese prime ministers |
|---|---|
| brothers | 1. Nobusuke Kishi (older) and Eisaku Satō (younger) |
| grandfathers and grandsons | 2. Nobusuke Kishi and Shinzo Abe 3. Ichirō Hatoyama and Yukio Hatoyama 4. Fumimaro Konoe and Morihiro Hosokawa 5. Shigeru Yoshida and Tarō Asō |
| great-uncle and great-nephew | 6. Eisaku Satō and Shinzo Abe |
| father and son | 7. Takeo Fukuda and Yasuo Fukuda |
| father-in-law and son-in-law | 8. Zenkō Suzuki and Tarō Asō |
See also
Notes
- ^† Died in office
References
External links
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