Tarō Asō

Place of Birth: Iizuka, Fukuoka, Empire of Japan

Date of Birth: September 20, 1940

Ethnicity: Japanese

Tarō Asō is a Japanese politician. He has served as Deputy Prime Minister of Japan, and Minister of Finance, both since 26 December, 2012. He was previously Minister for Foreign Affairs, from 31 October, 2005 to 27 August, 2007, and Prime Minister of Japan, from 24 September, 2008 to 16 September, 2009, among other duties.

He is the son of Kazuko (Yoshida) and Takakichi Asō. He is the grandson of Shigeru Yoshida, a diplomat and politician, who also served as Prime Minister of Japan, from 22 May, 1946 to 24 May, 1947, and again, from 15 October, 1948 to 10 December, 1954, and the great-great-grandson of Ōkubo Toshimichi, or Toshimichi Ōkubo in Western naming order, who was one of the three great nobles of the Meiji Restoration, one of the founders of modern Japan.

Tarō is married to Chikako Suzuki, with whom he has two children. Chikako is the granddaughter of Zenkō Suzuki, a politician, who was also Prime Minister of Japan, from 17 July, 1980 to 27 November, 1982.

Tarō’s sister is Princess Tomohito of Mikasa, who was married to Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, of the Imperial House of Japan, until his death. His nieces are Princess Akiko of Mikasa and Princess Yōko of Mikasa.

Tarō’s paternal grandfather was Tarō Asō (the son of Takichi Asō and Kikkawa Yasu).

Tarō’s paternal grandmother was named Natsuko Kanō (the daughter of Kanō Hisayoshi, or Hisayoshi Kanō in Western naming order).

Tarō’s maternal grandfather was Shigeru Yoshida. Shigeru was born in Yokosuka, Empire of Japan, and was the biological son of Takeuchi Tsuna, or Tsuna Takeuchi in Western naming order, and of Takiko. Shigeru was adopted by Kotoko and Kenzo Yoshida.

Tarō’s maternal grandmother was Yukiko Makino (the daughter of Makino Nobuaki, or Nobuaki Makino in Western naming order, and of Mishima Mineko, or Mineko Mishima in Western naming order). Nobuaki was a politician and imperial court official, and was the son of Ōkubo Toshimichi, or Toshimichi Ōkubo in Western naming order; and of Hayasaki Masako, or Masako Hayasaki in Western naming order. Nobuaki was adopted into the Makino family at a very early age. Tarō’s great-grandmother Mineko was the daughter of Mishima Michitsune, or Michitsune Mishima in Western naming order.