Shin Kanemaru (金丸 信 Kanemaru Shin, 17 September 1914 – 28 March 1996) was a Japanese politician who was a significant figure in the political arena of Japan from the 1970s to the early 1990s.[1] He was also Director General of the Japan Defense Agency from 1977 to 1978.

Shin Kanemaru
金丸 信
Director-General of the Japan Defense Agency
In office
28 November 1977 – 7 December 1978
Prime MinisterTakeo Fukuda
Preceded byAsao Mihara
Succeeded byGanri Yamashita
Personal details
Born(1914-09-17)17 September 1914
Suwa, Yamanashi Prefecture, Empire of Japan
Died28 March 1996(1996-03-28) (aged 81)
Yamanashi, Japan
Political partyLiberal Democratic Party
Alma materTokyo University of Agriculture
Military service
Allegiance Japan
Branch/service Imperial Japanese Army
Years of service1938
RankSergeant
Unit2nd Company, Telegraph Triple Corps, Kwantung Army

Early life and education

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Kanemaru was born in Suwa village (now Minami-arupusu city), Yamanashi Prefecture on 17 September 1914.[2] He began his studies at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and became a teacher upon graduation.

Career

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He was conscripted into the army and served briefly in the Kwantung Army as a sergeant from 1937 to 1938. He was discharged due to illness and returned to Japan.[3] After his military service, he entered into the sake brewing business and was later involved in the concrete and souvenir businesses.[3] He was a member of the Liberal Democratic Party and a member of the faction of Noboru Takeshita.

Arrest and indictment

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In 1992, he was indicted in the Sagawa Kyubin corruption scandal. He was charged with evading taxes on payments he had received from construction companies that were seeking political influence. He resigned and was arrested on 13 March 1993 after authorities found at least $51 million in bearer bonds and hundreds of pounds of gold stored at his home.[4]

Personal life

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He has a son, Shingo Shin.[5] Kanemaru died in Yamanashi on 28 March 1996 at the age of 81.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Uldis Kruze (January 2015). Shin Kanemaru and the Tragedy of Japan's Political System. Palgrave Pivot. ISBN 9781137457363. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Shin Kanemaru". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  3. ^ a b Pollack, Andrew (29 March 1996). "Shin Kanemaru, 81, Kingmaker in Japan Toppled by Corruption". The New York Times.
  4. ^ John E. Woodruff (10 March 1993). "Fallen politician in Japan had amassed $51 million". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  5. ^ "Japanese delegation arrives in N. Korea". Yonhap News Agency. September 14, 2019. Archived from the original on December 6, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2019.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

Sources

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House of Representatives (Japan)
Preceded by
Kazuo Horiuchi, Toyohira Hagino, Shinichi Kobayashi, Takuo Furuya, Tsuneo Uchida (1955 general election)
Representative for Yamanashi at-large district
1958–1992
Served alongside: Kunio Tanabe, Eiichi Nakao, Mitsuo Horiuchi, Toshimasa Ueda, et al.
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Deputy Prime Minister of Japan
1986–1987
Succeeded by
Preceded by Director-General of the Japan Defense Agency
1977–1978
Succeeded by
Preceded by Director-General of the National Land Agency
1974–1976
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Takeo Kimura
Minister of Construction
1972–1973
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by
Susumu Nikaido
Vice President of the Liberal Democratic Party
1992
Succeeded by
Preceded by Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party
1984–1986
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Kichizō Hosoda
Chairman of the Executive Council, Liberal Democratic Party
1983-1984
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Asao Mihara
Chairman of the Diet Policy Committee, Liberal Democratic Party
1978-1980
Succeeded by
Kichisō Tazawa
Preceded by
Toshio Tsukahara
Chairman of the Diet Policy Committee, Liberal Democratic Party
1971-1972
Succeeded by