Japaneese Prime Ministers(World leaders)

This is a list of Prime Ministers of Japan, and its predecessor state the Empire of Japan, from when the first Prime Minister (in the modern sense), Hirobumi Itō, took office in 1885, until the present day. The office is currently held by Taro Aso.

Multiple terms in office, consecutive or otherwise, are listed and counted in the first column (administration number) and the second column counts individuals. For example, Yasuo Fukuda, is listed as the 58th individual to hold the office of prime minister, whilst his first cabinet is the 91st since Hirobumi Itō.

To avoid confusion, all the names on this list follow the Western convention (given name first, family name second) for consistency.

Color key (for political party) # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams # Name Took Office Left Office Home State Party Vice President(s) 1 George Washington 1789 1797 Virginia No party John Adams Prime Ministers of the Empire of Japan Meiji period A# I# Name Portrait Took Office Left Office Political Party Rōmaji Kanji 1 1 Hirobumi Itō (1st term) 伊藤 博文 File:Itô Hirobumi.jpg 22 December 1885 30 April 1888 None 2 2 Kiyotaka Kuroda 黒田 清隆 File:Kiyotaka Kuroda 2.jpg 30 April 1888 25 October 1889 None - - Sanetomi Sanjō (stopgap Cabinet) 三條 實美 File:Sanetomi Sanjo formal cropped.jpg 25 October 1889 24 December 1889 None 3 3 Aritomo Yamagata (1st term) 山縣 有朋 File:Aritomo Yamagata 3.jpg 24 December 1889 6 May 1891 None 4 4 Masayoshi Matsukata (1st term) 松方 正義 File:Masayoshi Matsukata suit.jpg 6 May 1891 8 August 1892 None 5 - Hirobumi Itō (2nd term) 伊藤 博文 File:Itô Hirobumi.jpg 8 August 1892 31 August 1896 None During this interval, Privy Council Chairman Kiyotaka Kuroda (黒田 清隆) was the Acting Prime Minister. 6 - Masayoshi Matsukata (2nd term) 松方 正義 File:Masayoshi Matsukata suit.jpg 18 September 1896 12 January 1898 None 7 - Hirobumi Itō (3rd term) 伊藤 博文 File:Itô Hirobumi.jpg 12 January 1898 30 June 1898 None 8 5 Shigenobu Ōkuma (1st term) 大隈 重信 File:Shgenobu Ohkuma blacktie.jpg 30 June 1898 8 November 1898 Kenseitō (Constitutional Party) 9 - Aritomo Yamagata (2nd term) 山縣 有朋 File:Aritomo Yamagata 3.jpg 8 November 1898 19 October 1900 None 10 - Hirobumi Itō (4th term) 伊藤 博文 File:Itô Hirobumi.jpg 19 October 1900 10 May 1901 Rikken Seiyūkai (Friends of Constitutional Government) During this interval, Privy Council Chairman Kinmochi Saionji (西園寺 公望) was the Acting Prime Minister. 11 6 Tarō Katsura (1st term) 桂 太郎 File:Taro Katsura suit.jpg 2 June 1901 7 January 1906 None (Retired General) 12 7 Kinmochi Saionji (1st term) 西園寺 公望 File:PM Kinmochi Saionji cropped.jpg 7 January 1906 14 July 1908 Rikken Seiyūkai (Friends of Constitutional Government) 13 - Tarō Katsura (2nd term) 桂 太郎 File:Taro Katsura suit.jpg 14 July 1908 30 August 1911 None (Retired General) 14 - Kinmochi Saionji (2nd term) 西園寺 公望 File:PM Kinmochi Saionji cropped.jpg 30 August 1911 21 December 1912 Rikken Seiyūkai (Friends of Constitutional Government) Taishō period A# I# Name Portrait Took Office Left Office Political Party Rōmaji Kanji 15 - Tarō Katsura (3rd term) 桂 太郎 File:Taro Katsura suit.jpg 21 December 1912 20 February 1913 None (Retired General) 16 8 Gonbee Yamamoto (1st term) 山本 權兵衞 File:Yamamoto Gonnohyoe 2.jpg 20 February 1913 16 April 1914 Military (Navy) 17 - Shigenobu Ōkuma (2nd term) 大隈 重信 File:Shgenobu Ohkuma blacktie.jpg 16 April 1914 9 October 1916 Rikken Dōshikai (Constitutional Association of Friends) 18 9 Masatake Terauchi 寺內 正毅 File:Masatake Terauchi uniform.jpg 9 October 1916 29 September 1918 Military (Army) 19 10 Takashi Hara 原 敬 File:Takashi Hara posing cropped.jpg 29 September 1918 4 November 1921 Rikken Seiyūkai (Friends of Constitutional Government) During this interval, Foreign Minister Yasuya Uchida (内田 康哉) was the Acting Prime Minister. 20 11 Korekiyo Takahashi 高橋 是清 File:Takahashi korekiyo giving an address cropped.jpg 13 November 1921 12 June 1922 Rikken Seiyūkai (Friends of Constitutional Government) 21 12 Tomosaburō Katō 加藤 友三郎 File:Kato.jpg 12 June 1922 24 August 1923 Military (Navy) During this interval, Foreign Minister Yasuya Uchida (内田 康哉) was the Acting Prime Minister. 22 - Gonbee Yamamoto (2nd term) 山本 權兵衞 File:Yamamoto Gonnohyoe 2.jpg 2 September 1923 7 January 1924 Military (Navy) 23 13 Keigo Kiyoura 清浦 奎吾 File:Kiyoura Keigo.jpg 7 January 1924 11 June 1924 None 24 14 Takaaki Katō 加藤 高明 File:Takaaki Kato suit.jpg 11 June 1924 2 August 1925 Kenseikai (Constitutional Party) 2 August 1925 28 January 1926 Kenseikai (Constitutional Party) During this interval, Interior Minister Reijirō Wakatsuki (若槻 禮次郎) was the Acting Prime Minister. 25 15 Reijirō Wakatsuki (1st term) 若槻 禮次郎 File:Reijiro Wakatsuki posing cropped.jpg 30 January 1926 20 April 1927 Kenseikai (Constitutional Party) Shōwa period A# I# Name Portrait Took Office Left Office Political Party Rōmaji Kanji 26 16 Giichi Tanaka 田中 義一 File:Giichi Tanaka posing cropped.jpg 20 April 1927 2 July 1929 Rikken Seiyūkai (Friends of Constitutional Government) 27 17 Osachi Hamaguchi 濱口 雄幸 File:Osachi Hamaguchi posing cropped.jpg 2 July 1929 14 April 1931 Rikken Minseitō (Constitutional Democratic Party) 28 - Reijirō Wakatsuki (2nd term) 若槻 禮次郎 File:Reijiro Wakatsuki posing cropped.jpg 14 April 1931 13 December 1931 Rikken Minseitō (Constitutional Democratic Party) 29 18 Tsuyoshi Inukai 犬養 毅 File:Tsuyoshi Inukai facing left cropped.jpg 13 December 1931 16 May 1932 Rikken Seiyūkai (Friends of Constitutional Government) During this interval, Finance Minister Korekiyo Takahashi (高橋 是清) was the Acting Prime Minister. 30 19 Makoto Saitō 齋藤 實 File:Makoto Saito 2.jpg 26 May 1932 8 July 1934 Military (Navy) 31 20 Keisuke Okada 岡田 啓介 File:Keisuke Okada 2.jpg 8 July 1934 9 March 1936 Military (Navy) 32 21 Kōki Hirota 廣田 弘毅 File:Kohki Hirota suit cropped.jpg 9 March 1936 2 February 1937 None 33 22 Senjūrō Hayashi 林 銑十郎 File:33 HayashiS.jpg 2 February 1937 4 June 1937 Military (Army) 34 23 Fumimaro Konoe (1st term) 近衞 文麿 File:Fumimaro Konoe 4.jpg 4 June 1937 5 January 1939 None 35 24 Kiichirō Hiranuma 平沼 騏一郎 File:Kiichiro Hiranuma.jpg 5 January 1939 30 August 1939 None 36 25 Nobuyuki Abe 阿部 信行 File:Nobuyuki Abe formal.jpg 30 August 1939 16 January 1940 Military (Army) 37 26 Mitsumasa Yonai 米内 光政 File:Yonai Mitsumasa.jpg 16 January 1940 22 July 1940 Military (Navy) 38 - Fumimaro Konoe (2nd term) 近衞 文麿 File:Fumimaro Konoe 4.jpg 22 July 1940 18 July 1941 Taisei Yokusankai (Imperial Rule Assistance Association) 39 (3rd term) 18 July 1941 18 October 1941 Taisei Yokusankai (Imperial Rule Assistance Association) 40 27 Hideki Tōjō 東條 英機 File:Tojo2.jpg 18 October 1941 22 July 1944 Military (Army) 41 28 Kuniaki Koiso 小磯 國昭 File:Kuniaki Koiso.jpg 22 July 1944 7 April 1945 Military (Army) 42 29 Kantarō Suzuki 鈴木 貫太郎 File:Suzuki Kantaro.jpg 7 April 1945 17 August 1945 Military (Navy) Chamberlain 43 30 HIH Prince Naruhiko of Higashikuni 東久邇宮 稔彦王 File:HIH Prince Naruhiko of Higashikuni.jpg 17 August 1945 9 October 1945 The Imperial Family 44 31 Kijūrō Shidehara 幣原 喜重郎 File:Kijuro Shidehara.jpg 9 October 1945 22 May 1946 None 45 32 Shigeru Yoshida (1st term) 吉田 茂 File:Shigeru Yoshida smiling2.jpg 22 May 1946 24 May 1947 Liberal Prime Ministers of Japan Shōwa period A# I# Name Portrait Took Office Left Office Political Party Rōmaji Kanji 46 33 Tetsu Katayama 片山 哲 File:Tetsu Katayama.jpg 24 May 1947 10 March 1948 Socialist 47 34 Hitoshi Ashida 芦田 均 File:Hitoshi Ashida.jpg 10 March 1948 15 October 1948 Democratic 48 - Shigeru Yoshida (2nd term) 吉田 茂 File:Shigeru Yoshida smiling2.jpg 15 October 1948 16 February 1949 Liberal 49 (3rd term) 16 February 1949 30 October 1952 Liberal 50 (4th term) 30 October 1952 21 May 1953 Liberal 51 (5th term) 21 May 1953 10 December 1954 Liberal 52 35 Ichirō Hatoyama (1st term) 鳩山 一郎 File:Ichoro Hatoyama 3.jpg 10 December 1954 19 March 1955 Democratic 53 (2nd term) 19 March 1955 22 November 1955 Democratic 54 (3rd term) 22 November 1955 23 December 1956 Liberal Democratic 55 36 Tanzan Ishibashi 石橋 湛山 File:Tanzan Ishibashi.jpg 23 December 1956 25 February 1957 Liberal Democratic 56 37 Nobusuke Kishi (1st term) 岸 信介 File:Nobusuke Kishi 1956.jpg 25 February 1957 12 June 1958 Liberal Democratic 57 (2nd term) 12 June 1958 19 July 1960 Liberal Democratic 58 38 Hayato Ikeda (1st term) 池田 勇人 File:Hayato Ikeda 1956.jpg 19 July 1960 8 December 1960 Liberal Democratic 59 (2nd term) 8 December 1960 9 December 1963 Liberal Democratic 60 (3rd term) 9 December 1963 9 November 1964 Liberal Democratic 61 39 Eisaku Satō (1st term) 佐藤 榮作 File:Eisaku Sato.jpg 9 November 1964 17 February 1967 Liberal Democratic 62 (2nd term) 17 February 1967 14 January 1970 Liberal Democratic 63 (3rd term) 14 January 1970 7 July 1972 Liberal Democratic 64 40 Kakuei Tanaka (1st term) 田中 角榮 File:Tanaka 1973 cropped.jpg 7 July 1972 22 December 1972 Liberal Democratic 65 (2nd term) 22 December 1972 9 December 1974 Liberal Democratic 66 41 Takeo Miki 三木 武夫 File:Takeo Miki 1951 cropped.jpg 9 December 1974 24 December 1976 Liberal Democratic 67 42 Takeo Fukuda 福田 赳夫 File:Takeo Fukuda 1977.jpg 24 December 1976 7 December 1978 Liberal Democratic 68 43 Masayoshi Ōhira (1st term) 大平 正芳 File:Masayoshi Ohira at Andrews AFB 1 Jan 1980 cropped 1.jpg 7 December 1978 9 November 1979 Liberal Democratic 69 (2nd term) 9 November 1979 12 June 1980 Liberal Democratic During this interval, Chief Cabinet Secretary Masayoshi Itō (伊東 正義) was the Acting Prime Minister. 70 44 Zenkō Suzuki 鈴木 善幸 File:Zenko Suzuki cropped.jpg 17 July 1980 27 November 1982 Liberal Democratic 71 45 Yasuhiro Nakasone (1st term) 中曾根 康弘 File:Yasuhiro Nakasone in Andrews cropped.jpg 27 November 1982 27 December 1983 Liberal Democratic 72 (2nd term) 27 December 1983 22 July 1986 Liberal Democratic 73 (3rd term) 22 July 1986 6 November 1987 Liberal Democratic 74 46 Noboru Takeshita 竹下 登 File:Noboru Takeshita cropped.jpg 6 November 1987 3 June 1989 Liberal Democratic Heisei period A# I# Name Portrait Took Office Left Office Political Party Rōmaji Kanji 75 47 Sōsuke Uno 宇野 宗佑 File:Sosuke Uno.jpg 3 June 1989 10 August 1989 Liberal Democratic 76 48 Toshiki Kaifu (1st term) 海部 俊樹 File:Toshiki Kaifu 1991.jpg 10 August 1989 28 February 1990 Liberal Democratic 77 (2nd term) 28 February 1990 5 November 1991 Liberal Democratic 78 49 Kiichi Miyazawa 宮澤 喜一 File:MiyazawaKiichi.jpg 5 November 1991 9 August 1993 Liberal Democratic 79 50 Morihiro Hosokawa 細川 護熙 File:Goshichi no kiri.svg 9 August 1993 28 April 1994 Japan New 80 51 Tsutomu Hata 羽田 孜 File:Goshichi no kiri.svg 28 April 1994 30 June 1994 Renewal 81 52 Tomiichi Murayama 村山 富市 File:Tomiichi Murayama cropped 2 21st G7 summit member 19950616.jpg 30 June 1994 11 January 1996 Socialist 82 53 Ryūtarō Hashimoto (1st term) 橋本 龍太郎 File:Hashimoto meets Cohen cropped.jpg 11 January 1996 7 November 1996 Liberal Democratic 83 (2nd term) 7 November 1996 30 July 1998 Liberal Democratic 84 54 Keizō Obuchi 小渕 恵三 File:Keizo Obuchi cropped 2.jpg 30 July 1998 5 April 2000 Liberal Democratic 85 55 Yoshirō Mori (1st term) 森 喜朗 File:Mori and bush cropped.jpg 5 April 2000 4 July 2000 Liberal Democratic 86 (2nd term) 4 July 2000 26 April 2001 Liberal Democratic 87 56 Junichirō Koizumi (1st term) 小泉 純一郎 File:56 Junichiro Koizumi 3x4.jpg 26 April 2001 19 November 2003 Liberal Democratic 88 (2nd term) 19 November 2003 21 September 2005 Liberal Democratic 89 (3rd term) 21 September 2005 26 September 2006 Liberal Democratic 90 57 Shinzō Abe 安倍 晋三 File:Abe Bush Heiligendamm G8 2007 002 (cropped).jpg 26 September 2006 26 September 2007 Liberal Democratic 91 58 Yasuo Fukuda 福田 康夫 File:Yasuo Fukuda - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2008 cropped.JPG 26 September 2007 24 September 2008 Liberal Democratic 92 59 Taro Aso 麻生 太郎 File:Taro Aso cropped.jpg 24 September 2008 Incumbent Liberal Democratic