Background: Japan´s Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda

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Source: CCTV.com | 12-27-2007 12:41

Yasuo Fukuda was born on July 16th, 1936 in Takasaki city in Japan's Gunma Prefecture. After graduating from Waseda University in 1959, he worked at an oil company for 17 years.

On September 23rd 2007, Fukuda was elected president of the LDP party, and was officially named prime minister of Japan on September 25th 2007.

Fukuda is the eldest son of former Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda. The two Fukudas are the first father-son premiers in Japanese politics.

Fukuda worked as his father's secretary while he was prime minister from 1976 to 1978.

Fukuda won a seat in the House of Representatives in 1990. He was elected deputy secretary of the Liberal Democratic Party in 1997.

Fukuda served as chief cabinet secretary under both Yoshiro Mori and Junichiro Koizumi's administrations. He had a combined tenure of three and a half years, the longest among top government spokespersons.

In May 2003, Fukuda resigned after admitting he had failed to pay pension premiums. He only decided to run in the LDP leadership election after Shinzo Abe resigned September 2007.

On September 23rd 2007, Fukuda was elected president of the LDP party, and was officially named prime minister of Japan on September 25th 2007.

Editor:Zhang Ning