Arab News Japan

KONO Yohei, who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives and president of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), died on June 8 at the age of 89, according to the Sankei Shimbun. His eldest son is KONO Taro.

Kono also served as deputy prime minister and foreign minister in 1994, when a coalition government led by Tomiichi Murayama of the Japan Socialist Party was formed. He later continued as foreign minister under the administrations of Prime Ministers Keizo Obuchi and Yoshiro Mori, becoming the first LDP president never to serve as prime minister.

During his tenure as foreign minister, Kono visited several countries in the region and advocated closer political and economic ties with Gulf states and other Arab partners, while supporting Japan’s contributions to Middle East peace efforts and regional development initiatives.

Kono played a significant role in strengthening Japan’s engagement with the Arab world, particularly the Gulf states. In January 2001, he embarked on a tour of Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, meeting senior leaders across the region and promoting what became known as the “Kono Initiative,” a framework aimed at expanding Japan-Gulf relations beyond energy cooperation.

The initiative called for greater dialogue between Japan and the Islamic world, cooperation on water-resource development, and broader political consultations between Japan and Gulf countries.

During the trip, Kono stressed the importance of fostering mutual understanding between Japan and Islam, arguing that relations should not be limited to crude oil trade. His proposals were welcomed by Gulf leaders, and the tour is widely regarded as an early effort to establish the more comprehensive strategic partnerships that now characterize Japan’s relations with GCC states.

He also maintained a strong interest in the Middle East peace process during his tenure as foreign minister. At a time of rising tensions following the outbreak of the Palestinian Second Intifada in 2000, he called for restraint by all parties and emphasized the importance of dialogue and negotiations as the only path toward a lasting settlement.

Kono supported continued Japanese assistance to the Palestinian Authority and reaffirmed Japan’s backing for Palestinian self-determination. As Japan sought to balance its strategic interests in the Middle East with its dependence on energy imports from the region, Kono advocated a diplomatic approach centered on stability, economic development and confidence-building measures between Israelis and Palestinians.

His efforts reflected Japan’s longstanding policy of supporting a negotiated two-state solution and playing a constructive role in regional peace and development.

Born in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Kono graduated from the School of Political Science and Economics at Waseda University. After working in the private sector, he won his first seat in the House of Representatives in the 1967 general election, which he entered following the death of his father, former Agriculture Minister Ichiro Kono.

In 1976, amid the fallout from the Lockheed Scandal, Kono left the LDP after criticizing former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka over allegations related to political funding. He then co-founded the New Liberal Club and served as its leader.

After the New Liberal Club entered a coalition with the LDP in 1983, Kono joined the Cabinet for the first time as director-general of the Science and Technology Agency. He rejoined the LDP in 1986 and became chief cabinet secretary in the government of Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa in 1992.

The Sankei Shimbun reported that in August 1993, as chief cabinet secretary, Kono issued the “Kono Statement” concerning comfort women. The original Japanese article notes that, despite a lack of evidence proving the Imperial Japanese Army forcibly rounded up comfort women, Kono stated at a press conference that coercion had been involved in the recruitment process, a position that remained controversial.

Later that year, after the LDP lost power for the first time since its founding, Kono became the party’s 16th president. He reached an agreement with then-Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa on electoral reform, helping pave the way for the introduction of Japan’s current mixed electoral system for the House of Representatives.

In 2003, he became the 71st Speaker of the House of Representatives and remained in the post for 2,029 days until retiring from politics in 2009.