Word: ohira
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...speculation that followed Tanaka's announcement that he would resign as Premier, Miki was barely even considered a dark horse. It was widely assumed that only two L.D.P. elders, both with the backing of strong factions within the party, had a chance of succeeding Tanaka: Finance Minister Masayoshi Ohira, 64, who enjoyed the outgoing Premier's support, and former Finance Minister Takeo Fukuda, 69. Although he had previously been a candidate for the premiership, Miki (see box following page) could count on the backing of only a minor bloc within the party. Moreover, he had the reputation...
...L.D.P. chief was entrusted to one of the party's most respected elders, its crafty Vice President Etsusaburo Shiina, 76. Often working late into the night, Shiina met with faction leaders, party elders and Diet backbenchers. From these conversations, he concluded that the selection of either Fukuda or Ohira might fatally split the L.D.P., ending its 25-year domination of Japanese politics. Shiina was also aware that the public had become seriously disillusioned by factional bickering within the party and by the still unrefuted charges of illicit financial dealings that drove Tanaka from office...
...leaders and dropped a bombshell; he announced that he would recommend Miki for the party presidency because he was most qualified to bring about the needed reforms. The astounded politicians took several minutes to recover from their surprise. A nearly speechless Miki signified that he was willing. Fukuda and Ohira, however, insisted that they would first have to consult with members of their factions before consenting. As the news of Shiina's recommendation spread through the party, support for Miki snowballed, and eventually all the party leaders fell into line. Tanaka probably summed up their feelings best when...
With Tanaka reduced to caretaker status, L.D.P. leaders began the complex bargaining that will result in a consensus on a successor, possibly this week. Tanaka's own choice is Finance Minister Masayoshi Ohira, 64. His chief rival is former Finance Minister Takeo Fukuda, 69, a sleepy-looking veteran politician who was runner-up to Tanaka in the party election of 1972. Although a conservative, Fukuda has long called for reform of Japan's system of "money power," and this may make him more palatable to the party leaders as a symbol of belated reform...
Treading Tenderly. Although Tanaka's fortunes are at their lowest ever, no one is willing to count him out. Last week he moved swiftly to stem a total collapse of his Cabinet by shifting one of his loyal followers, Masayoshi Ohira, 64, from Foreign Minister to Fukuda's post at Finance. He named two other well-known and respected L.D.P. veterans to the other vacant posts: Toshio Kimura, 65, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Kichizo Hosoda, 62, to Hori's old job. From now on, however, the abrasive, aggressive Tanaka will have to tread much...