Junichiro Koizumi
Junichiro Koizumi (小泉 純一郎) was prime minister of Japan.
Contents
History
Koizumi was elected to the diet in 1972 for the LDP.
He became affiliated with the YKK faction, also known as Shinseiki, in 1994. The faction was led by Koizumi, Koichi Kato (加藤 紘一), and Taku Yamasaki (山崎 拓). They were all younger and reformist leaders of the LDP. By the leadership contests of 1999 and 2000 they each were serious contenders. The latter two gambled on a doomed vote of no confidence, but Koizumi was well positioned for the leadership contest following Mori's resignation. He was elected prime miniter on April 26th, 2001.
In 2004, Koizumi semi-privatized the Japan Housing Corporation.
In 2005, Koizumi began pushing for the privatization and breakup of Japan Post. While the threat of calling a snap election successfully whipped the House of Representatives, the House of Councilors saw a rebellion. Koizumi declared that the bill was a vote of confidence. 30 members of the LDP abstained, triggering the September 2005 general election. The LDP won an outright majority, handing a two-thirds majority to the coalition government in the House of Representatives. Though it went unused, it opened the door for the LDP to push constitutional reforms. The Japan Post reforms passed in 2007.
Koizumi resigned at the end of his party leadership term. He remained a member of the Diet until the 2009 general election, when his son Shinjiro won the seat.