Junichiro Koizumi(I)
His father, Koizumi Junya, was the Director General of the Defense Agency and a second-generation member of the Japanese Parliament. Koizumi's grandfather, Matajiro Koizumi, earned his living as a Japanese postmaster general. Junichiro attended Yokosuka High School and then studied economics at Keio University and University College in London. Due to his father's death, he returned to Japan in December 1969. He became a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and joined the Fukuda faction within it. After a first failed attempt, Koizumi was elected to the Japanese lower house in December 1972. He was confirmed in office in ten further elections. Koizumi Junichiro married in 1978. This relationship resulted in three sons, Koizumi Shinjiro, Koizumi Kotaro and Miyamoto Yoshinaga. In 1979 he was appointed Parliamentary State Secretary for Finance. Like his grandfather, he then appointed Minister of Posts and Telecommunications in Miyazawa Kiichi's cabinet.
Koizumi Junichiro was subsequently elected Japanese Minister of Health. In 1994, when the Liberal Democrats were briefly in opposition, Koizumi Junichiro joined Shinseiki within the LDP. In 1995 and 1999 he ran for the presidency of the LDP. He lost to Hashimoto Ryutaro and Obuchi Keizo respectively. In April 2000, Obuchi Keizo was replaced by Mori Yoshiro due to illness. Koizumi was then elected party chairman at the third attempt on April 24, 2001. With the majority of 298 votes to 155, he was able to clearly assert himself over his rival Hashimoto Ryutaro. On April 26, 2001, Koizumi was sworn into the office of Prime Minister of Japan. In the July 2001 upper house election, Koizumi Junichiro's coalition won 78 of 121 seats. In this position he also became the most popular politician in the country. During the upper house elections on September 10, 2005, he was able to achieve an absolute majority in parliament with 298 seats.
In terms of domestic policy, Koizumi Junichiro tried to return the Japanese economy to its old successes and work together with banks to combat bad loans. Another goal was to privatize the postal structure and reform the banking system. He announced a legislative agenda of painful reforms to ensure an economic recovery. Immediately after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Japanese government supported US policies and military actions in the Afghanistan War. In October 2001, Koizumi initiated the expansion of the Japanese armed forces to ensure their ability to participate in foreign missions. The Japanese economy, meanwhile, experienced a slow but steady recovery in the labor market, the economy and the stock market. Amid these developments, Koizumi Junichiro was confirmed in office in 2003. On July 26, 2003, a special law to support the "reconstruction" of Iraq was passed, making it possible for the first time to send Japanese soldiers to a crisis area under the administration of an occupying power.
On December 9, 2003, the cabinet under Koizumi decided to send Japanese soldiers to Iraq, despite criticism from 55% of the population. In the 2004 upper house elections, the LDP only narrowly achieved a majority. In the wake of the failure of Koizumi Junichiro's postal reform in the upper house, he responded in 2005 by calling for new elections, which he was then able to win with a large majority. At the beginning of 2006 he declared that he would not run for another term. On September 26, 2006, Shinzo Abe was elected as the new and youngest Japanese head of government after the Second World War, succeeding Koizumi, with 339 of 475 votes in the House of Representatives and 136 out of 240 votes in the Upper House.
Koizumi Junichiro was subsequently elected Japanese Minister of Health. In 1994, when the Liberal Democrats were briefly in opposition, Koizumi Junichiro joined Shinseiki within the LDP. In 1995 and 1999 he ran for the presidency of the LDP. He lost to Hashimoto Ryutaro and Obuchi Keizo respectively. In April 2000, Obuchi Keizo was replaced by Mori Yoshiro due to illness. Koizumi was then elected party chairman at the third attempt on April 24, 2001. With the majority of 298 votes to 155, he was able to clearly assert himself over his rival Hashimoto Ryutaro. On April 26, 2001, Koizumi was sworn into the office of Prime Minister of Japan. In the July 2001 upper house election, Koizumi Junichiro's coalition won 78 of 121 seats. In this position he also became the most popular politician in the country. During the upper house elections on September 10, 2005, he was able to achieve an absolute majority in parliament with 298 seats.
In terms of domestic policy, Koizumi Junichiro tried to return the Japanese economy to its old successes and work together with banks to combat bad loans. Another goal was to privatize the postal structure and reform the banking system. He announced a legislative agenda of painful reforms to ensure an economic recovery. Immediately after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Japanese government supported US policies and military actions in the Afghanistan War. In October 2001, Koizumi initiated the expansion of the Japanese armed forces to ensure their ability to participate in foreign missions. The Japanese economy, meanwhile, experienced a slow but steady recovery in the labor market, the economy and the stock market. Amid these developments, Koizumi Junichiro was confirmed in office in 2003. On July 26, 2003, a special law to support the "reconstruction" of Iraq was passed, making it possible for the first time to send Japanese soldiers to a crisis area under the administration of an occupying power.
On December 9, 2003, the cabinet under Koizumi decided to send Japanese soldiers to Iraq, despite criticism from 55% of the population. In the 2004 upper house elections, the LDP only narrowly achieved a majority. In the wake of the failure of Koizumi Junichiro's postal reform in the upper house, he responded in 2005 by calling for new elections, which he was then able to win with a large majority. At the beginning of 2006 he declared that he would not run for another term. On September 26, 2006, Shinzo Abe was elected as the new and youngest Japanese head of government after the Second World War, succeeding Koizumi, with 339 of 475 votes in the House of Representatives and 136 out of 240 votes in the Upper House.