Toshio Kimura (木村 俊夫, Kimura Toshio, 15 January 1909 – 1 December 1983) was a Japanese politician who served as foreign minister for six months in 1974.
Early life
Kimura was born into a politically active family on 15 January 1909.[1] His father and grandfather were both lawmakers.[2]
Career
Kimura was elected to the House of Representatives for 12 times as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).[2] In addition, he served as chief cabinet secretary in the cabinet led by Prime Minister Eisaku Satō.[2] He was also chairman of the Parliamentarians' League for Japan-Palestine Friendship.[2] He organized Yasser Arafat's visit to Japan in 1981.[3]
His other posts include director-general of the economic planning agency and deputy chief cabinet secretary. In 1971, Kimura served as acting foreign minister.[4] He was appointed foreign minister by Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka in mid-July 1974, replacing Masayoshi Ohira in the post.[5] Kimura was in office for six months in 1974.[2] Kimura visited Africa in late October and early November 1974 which initiated a cooperation between African countries and Japan.[6][7] He was the first senior Japanese government official to visit African countries.[8] His Africa visit included Ghana, Nigeria, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), Tanzania, and Egypt.[7][9] Then Kimura became head of the LDP's Asian-African Studies Group in 1977.[10]
Personal life and death
Kimura was married and had a daughter.[2] He died of a heart attack at a hospital in Tokyo on 1 December 1983 at age 74.[2]
