Wataru Kubo (久保 亘, Kubo Wataru, 15 January 1929 – 24 June 2003) was a Japanese politician from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and then from Democratic Party of Japan. He served as deputy prime minister and finance minister of Japan from 5 January 1996 to 7 November 1996.
Early life and education
Kubo was born in Kagoshima Prefecture on 15 January 1929.[1] He finished Kagoshima Normal School (currently Kagoshima University) and entered Department of Western History, Hiroshima University of Literature and Science (currently Hiroshima University).[2] He received a bachelor's degree from Hiroshima University of Literature and Science in 1952.[1]
Kubo started his career as a high-school teacher.[3] Then he involved in politics, and in 1963, he was elected to the Kagoshima Prefectural Assembly where he served for three terms.[1] He was first elected to the upper house in July 1974 from Kagoshima at-large district.[4][5] Until 1993 he served as chairman and a member of different committees at the house, including the budget and finance committee in the upper house.[1][6] In September 1993, he was named as secretary general of the Social Democratic Party during the term of the party chief Tomiichi Murayama.[5][7] He was also chief finance policy strategist[8] and deputy chairman of the party.[9][10]
He served as vice prime minister and finance minister from 5 January to 7 November 1996 in the first cabinet of Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto that was a coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party, the SDP and New Party Sakigake.[5][11] Kubo's term ended when Hashimoto inaugurated his second cabinet and the coalition parties SPD and New Party Sakigake remained outside the government.[12] Kubo was succeeded by Hiroshi Mitsuzuka as finance minister.[12]
Kubo left the SPD on 6 January 1997 due to the disagreements with the SPD chief Takako Doi.[13][14] After his resignation, Kubo joined the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ).[10] Then he became a member of the upper house with the DPJ.[4] He retired from politics as a member of the DPJ in June 2001 after serving four terms at the upper house, being a representative of Kagoshima Prefecture.[5][7]
