Hosokawa Morihiro

Hosokawa Morihiro (細川 護煕, b. January 14, 1937) is a Japanese politican and was the 79th Prime Minister of Japan from August 9, 1993 to April 28, 1994, forming the first non-LDP cabinet since 1955.

He was born into a branch of the ancient Fujiwara family in Tokyo (Konoe Fumimaro was his grandfather) and received his LL.B from Sophia University in 1961. After working for the Asahi Shimbun for several years, he was elected to the House of Councillors of Japan in 1969, representing Kumamoto prefecture.

In 1985, he left the Diet and became governor of Kumamoto.

In 1992, he announced that he could no longer stand the corruption in the LDP, and left to join the Japan New Party. The next year, when the LDP lost its majority in the Diet for the first time since 1955, Hosokawa set up a governing coalition that included the JNP, Socialist Party, Shinseito, Komeito, Democratic Socialist Party, Social Democratic Party, and New Party Sakigake.

Although his coalition managed to pass a complete revamp of the electoral system in 1994, Hosokawa was forced to resign over allegations that he had misused personal funds in the 1980's. His coalition was taken over by Shinseito president Hata Tsutomu.

Hosokawa joined Shinshinto in 1996, and moved to the Democratic Party of Japan in 1998. He remains in the Diet, and is also a special consultant to The Japan Times.

Preceded by: Miyazawa Kiichi

Prime ministers of Japan

Succeeded by: Hata Tsutomu