Taro Kono

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.

His father is Yohei Kono, only president of the Liberal Democratic Party who has 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. [Homepage on the House of Representatives http://www.senkyo.janjan.jp/diet/profile/0000/00000122.html.] He also worked for Congressman Richard Shelby of Alabama for two years.
*He also spent time at the Central School of Planning and Statistics of Warsaw, Poland, where he spent a night in prison after being arrested having visited the home of Solidarity leader, Lech Walesa.
*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 districtKono 15th distrrict 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 of the both bills."
*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 positionsAs stated on his [http://www.konotaro.org/biography/index.html 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" [ [http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=189925&rel_no=1 Japanese Lawmaker Urges Asia-centric Vision, Stronger Ties to Korea - OhmyNews International ] ]
* 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. [http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=189925&rel_no=1]
* Supports ammendment of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, allowing the Self-Defence Forces to engage in warfare.
* Supports the Japan-US Security Treaty, but seeks revision of the Status of Foreces Agreement (SOFA) [ [http://www.ipsnewsasia.net/bridgesfromasia/node/33 JAPAN: Politician Reflects Tokyo's Ambivalence in Foreign Affairs | IPS Asia-Pacific News: Bridges from Asia ] ]
* 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." [ [http://www.ipsnewsasia.net/bridgesfromasia/node/33 JAPAN: Politician Reflects Tokyo's Ambivalence in Foreign Affairs | IPS Asia-Pacific News: Bridges from Asia ] ]
* Has publicly supported requests for a 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, Yohei Kono, his grandfather, Ichiro Kono, and great uncle, Kenzo Kono, were all politicians. In 2003, Yohei Kono 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. [ NY Times article http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9C00E6D81F3FF936A15755C0A9649C8B63 ]

For various reasons Japan has a national shortage of organ donors. [ In Japan both the organ donor and their family have to give their permission in writing before any operation can take place. In many cases, such as a traffic accident, this is impossible, meaning many organs are unavailable. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6156925.stm] ] When his father Yohei Kono 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. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9C00E6D81F3FF936A15755C0A9649C8B63 Japanese Father and Son Share a Liver and a Political Rivalry - New York Times ] ] Kono has since supported changes to the law regarding organ-donorship.

Notes and references

References

*

External links

* Japanese Wikipedia page
* [http://www.konotaro.org/ Official website] in English.
* [http://www.taro.org/ Official website] in Japanese.