Hakuo Yanagisawa
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Hakuo_Yanagisawa_200609.jpg)
26 September 2006 – 27 August 2007
6 January 2001 – 30 September 2002
5 December 2000 – 6 January 2001
15 December 1998 – 5 October 1999
23 October 1998 – 15 December 1998
30 July 1998 – 23 October 1998
Fukuroi, Shizuoka, Japan
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.
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]
Career
He is from the city of Fukuroi in Shizuoka Prefecture.[citation needed] He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo in 1961.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed]
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.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed] 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.[4] 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.[5] 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
- ^ The Guardian: Japanese minister wants 'birth-giving machines', aka women, to have more babies (Justin McCurry in Tokyo dated January 29, 2007)
- ^ BBC News: Japan women called child machines (27 January 2007, 22:48 GMT)
- ^ Japan Times: Yanagisawa apologizes anew, adds gaffe(8 February 2007)
- ^ The Japan Times Online Cabinet Profiles - Hakuo Hanagisawa (27 January 2007, 22:48 GMT)
- ^ Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (27 January 2007, 22:48 GMT)
House of Representatives (Japan) | ||
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Preceded by | Chair, Education Committee of House of Representatives of Japan 1995–1996 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Chair, Health and Welfare Committee of House of Representatives of Japan 1998 | Succeeded by Yoshio Kimura |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by | Head of the National Land Agency 1998 | Succeeded by Kichio Inoue |
New office | Minister of State (with responsibility for Financial Reconstruction) 1998 | Succeeded by Himself as Chairman of the Financial Reconstruction Commission |
Preceded by Himself as Minister of State (with responsibility for Financial Reconstruction) | Chairman of the Financial Reconstruction Commission 1998–1999 | Succeeded by Michio Ochi |
Preceded by Hideyuki Aizawa | Chairman of the Financial Reconstruction Commission 2000–2001 | Succeeded by Himself as Minister of State for Financial Services |
Preceded by Himself as Chairman of the Financial Reconstruction Commission | Minister of State for Financial Services 2001–2002 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan 2006–2007 | Succeeded by |
Party political offices | ||
Preceded by | Chairman of the Tax Research Council of the Liberal Democratic Party 2005–2006 | Succeeded by |