Hakuo Yanagisawa

Hakuo Yanagisawa (Japanese: 柳沢 伯夫, Hepburn: Yanagisawa Hakuo, August 18, 1935 in Fukuroi, Shizuoka) is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He was the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan (2006–2007), and was a member of the House of Representatives from 1980 to 2009. His constituency was Shizuoka Prefecture 3rd District.

Hakuo Yanagisawa
柳澤 伯夫
Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare
In office
26 September 2006 – 27 August 2007
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byJirō Kawasaki
Succeeded byYōichi Masuzoe
Minister of State for Financial Services
In office
6 January 2001 – 30 September 2002
Prime MinisterYoshirō Mori
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byHeizō Takenaka
Chairman of the Financial Reconstruction Commission
In office
5 December 2000 – 6 January 2001
Prime MinisterYoshirō Mori
Preceded byHideyuki Aizawa
Succeeded byPosition abolished
In office
15 December 1998 – 5 October 1999
Prime MinisterKeizō Obuchi
Preceded byPosition Established
Succeeded byMichio Ochi
Minister of State (with responsibility for Financial Reconstruction)
In office
23 October 1998 – 15 December 1998
Prime MinisterKeizō Obuchi
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Head of the National Land Agency
In office
30 July 1998 – 23 October 1998
Prime MinisterKeizō Obuchi
Preceded byHisaoki Kamei
Succeeded byKichio Inoue
Personal details
Born (1935-08-18) August 18, 1935
Fukuroi, Shizuoka, Japan
Political partyLiberal Democratic Party
Alma materTokyo University

In January 2007, he drew criticism for describing women as "birth-giving machines" and "baby making devices" in a speech on the falling birthrate of Japan.[1][2] He said later "it was extremely sound to have more than two children".[3]

He believes in Tenrikyo.[4]

Career

He is from the city of Fukuroi in Shizuoka Prefecture. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo in 1961. In 1980 he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time, and has been elected eight times since. He was the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs from July 1994 until August 1995, and the Chairman of the Committee on Health and Welfare from March 1998 to July 1998.

In July 1998 he was appointed to be the Minister of State for the National Land Agency by Prime Minister Keizō Obuchi, and became the Minister of State for Financial Reconstruction in October of that year. He was the Minister of State and Chairman of the Financial Reconstruction Commission from December 1998 to October 1999. He then reprised that role from December 2000 to January 2001. He was the Minister of State for Financial Services from January 2001 to September 2002, when he stepped down due to a disagreement with the minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy, Heizō Takenaka.[5] He was the Chairman of the Research Commission on the Tax System for the LDP from November 2005 to September 2006. He became the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare in September 2006.[6] He was a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, belonging specifically to the Kōchikai (Koga faction).

In August 2009, Yanagisawa ran for reelection to represent Shizuoka's 3rd district House of Representatives, but was defeated by Nobuhiro Koyama. Yanagisawa thereafter retired from politics and accepted a post as the president of Josai International University.

References
  1. The Guardian: Japanese minister wants 'birth-giving machines', aka women, to have more babies (Justin McCurry in Tokyo dated January 29, 2007)
  2. BBC News: Japan women called child machines (27 January 2007, 22:48 GMT)
  3. Japan Times: Yanagisawa apologizes anew, adds gaffe(8 February 2007)
  4. "６閣僚に「９条守れ」/天理教平和の会、信者に要請".
  5. The Japan Times Online Cabinet Profiles - Hakuo Hanagisawa (27 January 2007, 22:48 GMT)
  6. Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (27 January 2007, 22:48 GMT)
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