Second Hashimoto Cabinet
{{Infobox government cabinet
| cabinet_name = Second Hashimoto Cabinet
| cabinet_type =
| cabinet_number = 83rd
| jurisdiction = Japan
| flag = Flag of Japan.svg
| flag_border = true
| incumbent =
| image = 300px
| caption = Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto (front row, centre) with the re-elected cabinet inside the Kantei, November 7, 1996
| date_formed = November 7, 1996
| date_dissolved = September 11, 1997
| government_head = Ryutaro Hashimoto
| government_head_history =
| deputy_government_head =
| state_head = Emperor Akihito
| members_number =
| former_members_number =
| total_number =
| political_party = LDP
| legislature_status = Minority government (with SDP and NPS extra-cabinet support) (1996-97)
HR majority, HC minority government (but with continued SDP & NPS support) (1997-98)
| opposition_cabinet =
| opposition_party = New Frontier Party (1996-97)
Democratic Party (1997-98)
Democratic Party of Japan (1998)
| opposition_leader = Ichirō Ozawa (until December 31, 1997)
Naoto Kan (from December 31, 1997)
| election = 1996 general election
1998 councillors election
| last_election =
| legislature_term =
| budget =
| advice_and_consent1 =
| incoming_formation =
| outgoing_formation =
| predecessor = First Hashimoto Cabinet
| successor = Second Hashimoto Cabinet
(Reshuffle)
}}
The Second Hashimoto Cabinet governed Japan from November 1996 to July 1998 under the leadership of Ryutaro Hashimoto.
Political background
Hashimoto had become Prime Minister in January 1996 at the head of a three-party coalition, and was returned to office in the general election of November 1996. While the coalition parties (the Liberal Democratic Party, the Social Democratic Party and the New Party Sakigake) won a slim majority in the House of Representatives, the SDP and NPS had seen their popularity collapse due to their association with the coalition, and decided to remain outside the government. Therefore, Hashimoto formed a minority, wholly LDP government (the first since 1993) with the promise of SDP and NPS support when he was elected by the National Diet on November 7. He promised to continue his policies of "six great reforms" in the areas of administration, financial markets, education, social security, fiscal policy and economic policy, and appointed several former ministers to cabinet to help achieve this.{{cite news|last1=Efron|first1=Sonni|title=Japan Re-elects Ryutaro Hashimoto To Second Term as Prime Minister|url=http://tech.mit.edu/V116/N57/japan.57w.html|accessdate=9 December 2016|work=LA Times|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808142528/http://tech.mit.edu/V116/N57/japan.57w.html|archivedate=8 August 2012}}{{cite web|title=Profile of Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto|url=http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/economy/apec/1997/rh_profile.html|website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan|accessdate=9 December 2016|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805030050/http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/economy/apec/1997/rh_profile.html|archivedate=5 August 2016}}{{cite book|last1=Eur|title=The Far East and Australasia 2003|date=2002|publisher=Psychology Press|pages=587|isbn=9781857431339|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LclscNCTz9oC&q=the+introduction+of+administrative+and+economic+reform+hashimoto&pg=PA587|accessdate=9 December 2016}}
Less than a year into Hashimoto's second term in September 1997, the LDP regained a slim majority in the lower house due to defections from, and eventual break up of the opposition New Frontier Party, although the government maintained its alliance with the SDP and NPS.{{cite news|title=Ousted ruling party in Japan regains power Liberal Democrats control lower house of legislature after several rivals defect|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1997/09/06/ousted-ruling-party-in-japan-regains-power-liberal-democrats-control-lower-house-of-legislature-after-several-rivals-defect/|access-date=9 December 2016|work=LA Times|date=6 September 1997|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161209022035/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1997-09-06/news/1997249022_1_democratic-party-frontier-party-ldp|archive-date=9 December 2016}} Several days later, Hashimoto conducted a cabinet reshuffle, which backfired when he was severely criticised for his appointment of Koko Sato, who had been convicted of bribery in relation to the Lockheed Scandal. This criticism forced Sato to resign after only 11 days in office.{{cite news|title=Hashimoto Names New Cabinet|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-sep-12-mn-31410-story.html|access-date=9 December 2016|work=LA Times|date=12 September 1997|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161208021841/http://articles.latimes.com/1997/sep/12/news/mn-31410|archive-date=8 December 2016}}{{cite news|title=WORLD Japanese PM defends 'second chance' for Cabinet former convict Koko Sato|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/japanese-pm-defends-second-chance-for-cabinet-former-convict-koko-sato.aspx?pageID=438&n=japanese-pm-defends-second-chance-for-cabinet-former-convict-koko-sato-1997-09-13|accessdate=9 December 2016|agency=Reuters|publisher=Hurriyet Daily News|date=13 September 1997|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161209014450/http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/japanese-pm-defends-second-chance-for-cabinet-former-convict-koko-sato.aspx?pageID=438&n=japanese-pm-defends-second-chance-for-cabinet-former-convict-koko-sato-1997-09-13|archivedate=9 December 2016}} The government was damaged further when Finance Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka resigned in January 1998 because of a corruption scandal that had been uncovered in the Finance Ministry.{{cite news|last1=Wudunn|first1=Sheryl|title=INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS; Japan's Top Finance Bureaucrat Resigns, a Day After His Leader|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/29/business/international-business-japan-s-top-finance-bureaucrat-resigns-day-after-his.html|accessdate=9 December 2016|work=New York Times|date=29 January 1998|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306074916/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/29/business/international-business-japan-s-top-finance-bureaucrat-resigns-day-after-his.html|archivedate=6 March 2016}} At the same time, as part of efforts to close the budget deficit, Hashimoto's government raised the consumption tax in 1998, which negatively affected consumer demand and caused a recession at a time of high unemployment.{{cite news|title=Economic woes test Hashimoto's political mettle|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/112798.stm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161209025923/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/112798.stm|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 December 2016|accessdate=9 December 2016|publisher=BBC News|date=15 June 1998}}
By 1998 the poor economic situation, the backlash against economic reforms and the cabinet resignations had greatly diminished Hashimoto's popularity. In the 1998 House of Councillor's election, the LDP lost several seats, leaving the government in a minority. Hashimoto immediately resigned and was replaced by Foreign Minister Keizō Obuchi, who took office on July 30, 1998, and inaugurated the Obuchi Cabinet.{{cite news|title=Hashimoto Resigns as Prime Minister After Japanese Rebuff LDP in Vote|url=http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB900219875291141500|accessdate=9 December 2016|publisher=Wall Street Journal|date=13 July 1998|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161209024926/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB900219875291141500|archivedate=9 December 2016}}{{cite news|title=Markets recover after Hashimoto resigns|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/132068.stm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161209025837/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/132068.stm|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 December 2016|accessdate=9 December 2016|publisher=BBC News|date=14 July 1998}}
Election of the prime minister
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"
|+ 7 November 1996 |
| colspan="4"| House of Representatives |
|---|
| align="left" rowspan="2" colspan="2" width="100"| Choice
! colspan="2"| Runoff Vote |
| width="100"| Votes |
| style="background:lightgreen;"
| width="1" bgcolor="green"| | align="left"| {{tick}}Ryutaro Hashimoto | {{Composition bar|262|500|hex=green}} |
| bgcolor="red"|
| align="left"| Ichirō Ozawa | {{Composition bar|152|500|hex=red}} |
| bgcolor="gray"|
| align="left"| Others and Abstentions (Including Speaker and Deputy) | {{Composition bar|86|500|hex=gray}} |
| colspan=3| Source [http://kokkai.ndl.go.jp/SENTAKU/syugiin/138/0001/13811070001001.pdf Diet Minutes - 138th Session] |
List of ministers
{{legend2|{{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}|Liberal Democratic|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
R = Member of the House of Representatives
C = Member of the House of Councillors
= Cabinet =
| class="wikitable"
|+ Cabinet of Ryutaro Hashimoto from November 7, 1996, to September 11, 1997 ! Portfolio ! colspan=3 | Minister ! Term of office |
| Prime Minister
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | January 11, 1996 - July 30, 1998 |
| Minister of Justice
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | C | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | January 11, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Minister of Finance
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - January 28, 1998 |
| Minister of Education
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Minister of Health and Welfare
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - July 30, 1998 |
| Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Minister of International Trade and Industry
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Minister of Transport
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Minister of Posts and Telecommunications
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Minister of Labour
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | C | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Minister of Construction
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Minister of Home Affairs Director of the National Public Safety Commission ! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Chief Cabinet Secretary
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | January 11, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Director of the Management and Coordination Agency
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Director of the Hokkaido Development Agency Director of the Okinawa Development Agency ! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Director of the Japan Defense Agency
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - July 30, 1998 |
| Director of the Economic Planning Agency
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | Tarō Asō | R | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Director of the Science and Technology Agency
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Director of the Environment Agency
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | C | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
| Director of the National Land Agency
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - September 11, 1997 |
= Reshuffled cabinet =
{{Infobox government cabinet
| cabinet_name = Second Hashimoto Cabinet
(Reshuffle)
| cabinet_type =
| cabinet_number = 83rd
| jurisdiction = Japan
| flag = Flag of Japan.svg
| flag_border = true
| incumbent =
| image = 300px
| caption = Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto (front row, centre) with his reshuffled cabinet inside the Kantei, September 11, 1997
| date_formed = September 11, 1997
| date_dissolved = July 30, 1998
| government_head = Ryutaro Hashimoto
| government_head_history =
| deputy_government_head =
| state_head = Emperor Akihito
| members_number =
| former_members_number =
| total_number =
| political_party = LDP
| legislature_status = Minority government (with SDP and NPS extra-cabinet support) (1996-97)
HR majority, HC minority government (but with continued SDP & NPS support) (1997-98)
| opposition_cabinet =
| opposition_party = New Frontier Party (1996-97)
Democratic Party (1997-98)
Democratic Party of Japan (1998)
| opposition_leader = Ichirō Ozawa (until December 31, 1997)
Naoto Kan (from December 31, 1997)
| election = 1996 general election
1998 councillors election
| last_election =
| legislature_term =
| budget =
| advice_and_consent1 =
| incoming_formation =
| outgoing_formation =
| predecessor = Second Hashimoto Cabinet
| successor = Obuchi Cabinet
}}
| class="wikitable"
|+ Cabinet of Ryutaro Hashimoto from September 11, 1997, to July 30, 1998 ! Portfolio ! colspan=3 | Minister ! Term of office |
| Prime Minister
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | January 11, 1996 - July 30, 1998 |
| Minister of Justice
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | C | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| rowspan=2| Minister of Finance
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - January 28, 1998 |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" |
| R | January 30, 1998 - July 30, 1998 |
|---|
| Minister of Education
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Minister of Health and Welfare
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - July 30, 1998 |
| rowspan=2| Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | September 11, 1997 - September 25, 1997 |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" |
| R | September 26, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Minister of International Trade and Industry
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Minister of Transport
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Minister of Posts and Telecommunications
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Minister of Labour
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Minister of Construction
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Minister of Home Affairs Director of the National Public Safety Commission ! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | C | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Chief Cabinet Secretary
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| rowspan=2| Director of the Management and Coordination Agency
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | September 11, 1997 - September 22, 1997 |
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" |
| R | September 22, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Director of the Hokkaido Development Agency Director of the Okinawa Development Agency ! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Director of the Japan Defense Agency
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | November 7, 1996 - July 30, 1998 |
| Director of the Economic Planning Agency
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | Kōji Omi | R | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Director of the Science and Technology Agency
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Director of the Environment Agency
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | C | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
| Director of the National Land Agency
! style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}" | | R | September 11, 1997 - July 30, 1998 |
== Changes ==
- September 22, 1997 - Director of the Management and Co-Ordination Agency, Koko Sato resigned due to criticism of a previous conviction for bribery in connection with the Lockheed Scandal and was replaced by Sadatoshi Ozato.{{cite news|last1=Sullivan|first1=Kevin|title=Japan Minister Resigns In Wake Of Public Outrage|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-09-23/news/9709220441_1_hashimoto-koko-sato-appointment|accessdate=9 December 2016|work=The Washington Post|date=23 September 1997|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161209014543/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-09-23/news/9709220441_1_hashimoto-koko-sato-appointment|archivedate=9 December 2016}}
- September 27, 1997 - Agriculture Minister Ihei Ochi resigned after suffering a stroke and was replaced with Yoshinobu Shimamura.{{cite news|title=Shimamura replaces ailing Ochi at agriculture helm|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/1997/09/26/national/shimamura-replaces-ailing-ochi-at-agriculture-helm/|accessdate=9 December 2016|publisher=The Japan Times|date=26 September 1997|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161209014101/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/1997/09/26/national/shimamura-replaces-ailing-ochi-at-agriculture-helm/|archivedate=9 December 2016}}
- January 28, 1998 - Finance Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka resigned to take responsibility for departmental corruption and was replaced with Hikaru Matsunaga.{{cite news|last1=Wudunn|first1=Sheryl|title=INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS; Japan's Top Finance Bureaucrat Resigns, a Day After His Leader|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/29/business/international-business-japan-s-top-finance-bureaucrat-resigns-day-after-his.html|accessdate=9 December 2016|work=New York Times|date=29 January 1998|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306074916/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/29/business/international-business-japan-s-top-finance-bureaucrat-resigns-day-after-his.html|archivedate=6 March 2016}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
Lists of Ministers at the Kantei:
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160414213414/http://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/rekidai/kakuryo/83.html Second Hashimoto Cabinet] {{in lang|ja}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123530/http://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/rekidai/kakuryo/83-2.html (reshuffled)] {{in lang|ja}}
{{Cabinets of Japan}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Second Hashimoto Cabinet}}
Category:1996 establishments in Japan
Category:1998 disestablishments in Japan