Minister of Foreign Affairs Hirofumi Nakasone of Japan

Nakasone was appointed as head of the Science and Technology Agency by Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi in early October 1999.

In the Cabinet of Prime Minister Taro Aso, appointed on 24 September 2008, Nakasone was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Nakasone is in Colombia for an one-day visit.

Nakasone is a Japanese family name.

Copyright(c) Hirofumi Nakasone Office.

Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said during a House of Representatives Budget Committee session that Tatsuo Arima, special envoy on the Middle East peace talks, may be dispatched to hold close talks with countries concerned as Japan is currently a non-permanent member of the UN.

of the Japan-Poland Parliamentary Friendship League of the House of Councilors.

Japan would continue to work closely with Poland on various issues.

Nakasone was handed the foreign policy portfolio by Japan's flamboyant new Prime Minister Taro Aso, himself a former foreign minister, who took office on Wednesday.

Prime Minister 1982 7 Nakasone was educated at Tokyo Imperial University and was first elected to the Diet in April 1947.

Nakasone was forced to resign as Prime Minister in 1987 when he was implicated in the Recruit scandal, and was replaced by another Tanaka faction member, Takeshita Noboru.

Nakasone joined the faction of Kono Ichiro, who died in 1965 after losing a battle with Sato Eisaku for the prime minister's seat.

Several Kono lieutenants stepped forward to claim the Kono mantle: Nakasone was one of them.

In theory, Nakasone was now in position to vie for the prime minister's chair.

But Nakasone had lost faction members during the succession struggle.

Nakasone is one of only several prime ministers who have served more than five years.

Nakasone is seen as having changed these circumstances.

Sales Tax TroubleWhile Nakasone was known as a charismatic leader, even he couldn't avoid political trouble.

It was this last provision that proved unpopular, especially since Nakasone had made a campaign promise not to introduce "a large scale levy (tax.

Nakasone took his place in the Diet, but his political career was far from over.

ScandalFor the next several years, scandal rocked the Japanese political system, and Nakasone was caught up in the storm.

Nakasone was never charged officially with any crime, but he left the party and active politics as a result of the scandal.

Nakasone is also profiled and interviewed in numerous periodicals.

Nakasone is currently the oldest living Japanese prime minister.

Nakasone was best known for his close relationship with US.

Nakasone was replaced by Noboru Takeshita in 1987, and was implicated, along with other LDP lawmakers, in the Recruit scandal that broke the following year.

In 2003, Nakasone was not given a place on the LDP's electoral list, thereby ending his career as a member of the Diet.

Japan's policy on North Korea under Prime Minister Taro Aso will remain focused on resolving the abduction issue, new Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said Tuesday.

Japan's position has not changed at all under the new administration," Nakasone said in an interview with The Japan Times and other media organizations.

While some experts have suggested that Pyongyang will never give up its only source of strategic power, Nakasone said Japan will not tolerate the North restarting its nuclear weapons program.

AFP – Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone (R) is greeted by Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya (L) … BANGKOK (AFP) – Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone met Thai counterpart Kasit Piromya on Saturday for brief but wide-ranging talks that dealt with the recent closure of Bangkok's airports by protesters.

Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone met Thai counterpart Kasit Piromya on Saturday for brief but wide-ranging talks that dealt with the recent closure of Bangkok's airports by protesters.

Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone welcomed plans Tuesday to hold the next round of six-party denuclearization talks from Dec 8.

While falling short of explicitly acknowledging that chief delegates are set to meet in Beijing on Dec 8, Nakasone said he was aware of such media reports and said "Japan has no objection to that (schedule) and we think it's fine.

relocate Japan's capital away from Tokyo.

AFP - Sunday, January 11BANGKOK (AFP) - - Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone met Thai counterpart Kasit Piromya on Saturday for brief but wide-ranging talks that dealt with the recent closure of Bangkok's airports by protesters.

Nakasone had urged Kasit, the minister said, to restore international confidence in Thai politics and security, which were badly damaged by massive street protests, occupations of government buildings and the eventual shutting down of Bangkok's main international and domestic airports for more than a week late last year.

Nakasone is to meet Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong in Phnom Penh on Sunday morning, followed by talks with Laotian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith in Vientiane in the afternoon.

There is no doubt historically and internationally that the Senkaku islands are part of our sovereign land," Nakasone said Tuesday.

I condemn the abduction as a dirty crime and stress anew that it cannot be justified for any reason," Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said in a statement.

Nakasone is scheduled to stop over in Bangkok for talks with Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya on Saturday to discuss responses to the global financial crisis on his way to Cambodia, the officials said.

Nakasone is slated to return to Tokyo on Monday night, the officials said.

Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said Jan 5 that Japan had protested China's gas drilling in the contentious East China Sea field, Reuters reported.

On North Korea, Nakasone said he shared concerns with Rice over the situation, which could "undo" deals struck during the six-nation talks last year.

Nakasone said he and Rice agreed on the importance for the five other members under the six-party framework -- China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States -- to unite in resolving the North Korean nuclear problem.

beef, Nakasone said Japan will tackle the issue from a "scientific" viewpoint.