Takeo Fukuda
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Takeo Fukuda (福田 赳夫 Fukuda Takeo January 14,1905–July 5,1995) was a Japanese politician and the 67th Prime Minister of Japan from December 24,1976 to December 7, 1978.
He was born in Gunma Prefecture and attended Tokyo Imperial University. Before and during World War II, he served as a bureaucrat in the Finance Ministry and as Chief Cabinet Secretary. After the war, he directed Japan's general accounting office.
In 1952, Fukuda was elected to the House of Representatives representing the third district of Gumma. He was elected party secretary in 1957 and served as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (1959-69), Minister of Finance (1969-71), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1971-73), and Director of the Economic Planning Agency (1974-76). He was a candidate for prime minister in 1972 but lost to Kakuei Tanaka.
He took over the presidency of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from Takeo Miki after the party's poor showing in the 1976 election. It remained in office, but relied on the support of minor parties to maintain a parliamentary majority. Fukuda drew international criticism when he caved in to the demands of a group of terrorists who hijacked Japan Airlines Flight 472, saying "Jinmei wa chikyû yori omoi (Human life is more important than the world)."
In an effort to end the LDP's faction system, Fukuda introduced primary elections within the party. Ironically, in the first primary towards the end of 1978, he was beaten by Masayoshi Ohira for the presidency of the LDP, and forced to resign as Prime Minister.
Fukuda was later instrumental in the formation of the Inter Action Council. He retired from politics in 1990 and died in 1995. His eldest son, Yasuo Fukuda, is also an active political figure.
| Preceded by: Takeo Miki | Prime Minister of Japan 1976–1978 | Succeeded by: Masayoshi Ohira |