Mikio Aoki (, Hepburn: ; 8 June 1934 – 11 June 2023) was a Japanese politician who served as the Chief Cabinet Secretary from 1999 to 2000, and was briefly acting prime minister following Keizō Obuchi's coma. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), he also served as the Chairman of the LDP in the House of Councillors.
Early life and career
Mikio Aoki was born on 8 June 1934, in Taisha in Shimane Prefecture, to a family of prosperous fishermen. After graduating from Shimane Prefectural Taisha High School, Aoki enrolled at Waseda University. He joined the Oratorical Society and became its secretary. He befriended Yoshirō Mori who was also in the Oratorical Society.
In the 1958 Japanese general election, Aoki volunteered for Noboru Takeshita, a Waseda alumni who was running to represent Shimane for the Liberal Democratic Party. When Takeshita was elected, Aoki dropped out of university to serve as his secretary.
Diet member
Aoki joined the Keiseikai formed by Takeshita in 1987. Aoki was parliamentary secretary for the Ministry of Finance from 1991 to 1992 and chairman of the House of Councillors Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from 1994 to 1995. Aoki took over as acting prime minister. Once it became clear Obuchi would not recover, Aoki met with the principal officers of the LDP at the time: Yoshiro Mori, Hiromu Nonaka, Shizuka Kamei and Masakuni Murakami.
Mori initially retained the entire Obuchi cabinet, including Aoki, but after the reshuffle in December, he returned to his post as Secretary-General for the LDP in the House of Councillors. Takeshita died in June 2000.
Don of the House of Councillors
The old Keiseikai, which had been renamed the Heisei Kenkyukai, was then led by former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto. Aoki and Hiromu Nonaka were prominent leaders in the faction at this time.
After the 2004 House of Councillors election, Aoki was promoted from Secretary-General to chairman for the LDP in the House of Councillors. It was said that Koizumi trusted him with all matters regarding the House of Councillors, including nominating cabinet ministers from the house. Aoki began to be called the "Don of the House of Councillors." Aoki resigned as chairman to take responsibility for the unsuccessful 2007 House of Councillors election.
Aoki intended to run for another term in the 2010 House of Councillors election. However, he suffered a mild stroke and was swiftly replaced as a candidate by his son Kazuhiko.
Retirement
Even in retirement, he remained influential, especially over the House and Councillors and the Heisei Kenkyukai. In the 2018 LDP leadership election he endorsed Shigeru Ishiba against the incumbent Shinzo Abe, and requested his old faction to do the same. However, Toshimitsu Motegi and Katsunobu Kato rallied faction members in support of Abe, who was successful.
After Fumio Kishida became Prime Minister, Aoki dined with him several times along with former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. They were reportedly consulted on personnel matters.
Aoki died on 11 June 2023, just three days after his 89th birthday.
References
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