Brief Personal History
| June 25,1937 Born in Gunma Prefecture. | |
| 1962 | Graduates from the School of Literature of Waseda University (majoring in English Literature). |
| 1963 | Elected for the first time to the House of Representatives (H.R.). Is now serving his twelfth term. |
| 1970 | Appointed Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Posts and Telecommunications. |
| 1972 | Appointed Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Construction. |
| 1973 | Appointed Deputy Director General of the Prime Minister's Office. |
| 1974 | Appointed Deputy Chairman, Diet Affairs Committee, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). |
| 1976 | Appointed Chairman, H.R. Committee on Finance. |
| 1979 | Appointed Director General, Prime Minister's Office and Director General, Okinawa Development Agency (Minister of State). |
| 1982 | Appointed Chairman, H.R. Special Committee on Security. |
| 1984 | Appointed LDP Deputy Secretary General. |
| 1986 | Appointed Chairman, H.R. Committee on the Budget. |
| 1987 | Appointed Chief Cabinet Secretary. |
| 1991 | Appointed LDP Secretary General. |
| 1994 | Appointed LDP Vice-President. |
| 1996 | Appointed Chairman, LDP Special Committee on External Economic Cooperation |
| 1997 | Appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs. |
| 1998 | Elected President of the LDP. |
| July.1998 | Elected Prime Minister. |