Search｜Photos & Images & Videos｜KYODO NEWS IMAGES INC

Ex-LDP strongman calls for BOJ chief Fukui's resignation

TOKYO, Japan - Hiromu Nonaka, former secretary general of Japan's governing Liberal Democratic Party, makes a speech at a meeting organized in Tokyo by Kyodo News on June 19. He said that Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui should resign over his 10 million yen investment in a fund led by an arrested financier.

E

(1)LDP heavyweight Nonaka to retire from politics

TOKYO, Japan - Hiromu Nonaka, an influential member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, announces his intention to retire from politics without running in the next election at a news conference at the party headquarters in Tokyo on Sept. 9.

E

(2)LDP heavyweight Nonaka to retire from politics

TOKYO, Japan - Hiromu Nonaka, an influential member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, leaves the party headquarters in Tokyo on Sept. 9 after announcing his intention to retire from politics without running in the next election.

E

LDP heavyweights Nonaka, Koga abstain from vote on Iraq bill

TOKYO, Japan - Hiromu Nonaka (2nd from L) and Makoto Koga (R), heavyweights in Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), abstain from voting on a contentious bill to dispatch the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to help rebuild Iraq during a House of Representatives plenary session on July 4. The lower house approved the bill by a majority vote.

E

Emperor confers top honors on 13 people

TOKYO, Japan - Thirteen men, including former Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka and former Tohoku University President Junichi Nishizawa, pose for a photo with their wives at the Imperial Palace on Nov. 7 after being given awards by Emperor Akihito.

E

Nonaka, Koga talk with Chinese Foreign Minister Tang

BEIJING, China - Two former secretaries general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party -- Hiromu Nonaka (L) and Makoto Koga -- speak to reporters in Beijing on April 14 after meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan.

E

Surgery to correct Hashimoto's heart problem completed

TOKYO, Japan - Hiromu Nonaka (L), former secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka (R) speak to reporters in front of the state-run International Medical Center of Japan in Tokyo on March 1 after visiting former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto at the hospital. Hashimoto underwent an operation on his heart.

E

China stresses benefits from peaceful ties with Japan

BEIDAIHE, China - Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao (2nd from R) tells Hiromu Nonaka (2nd from L), a heavyweight in Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and his delegation Aug. 5 that peaceful ties between the two countries will benefit both sides, suggesting Japan exercise caution over contentious issues relating to Japan's militaristic past. Hu met the delegation in the seaside resort of Beidaihe, east of Beijing.

E

Tang opposed to shrine visit by Koizumi

BEIJING, China - Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan greets members of the media before speaking to them on his talks with Hiromu Nonaka, former secretary general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, in Beijing on August 2. Tang said he conveyed his strong opposition to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's plan to visit a shrine to the war dead.

E

Nonaka meets with Chinese foreign minister

BEIJING, China - Hiromu Nonaka, former secretary general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, speaks to journalists folling his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan in Beijing on August 2. Nonaka said Tang voiced strong opposition to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's plan to visit a shrine to the war dead.

E

LDP No. 2 backs Nonaka as Mori's successor

SAPPORO, Japan - File photo shows ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Makoto Koga, who expressed support in Sapporo on March 31 for party heavyweight Hiromu Nonaka to succeed Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. ''I hope Mr. Nonaka will stay at the pivot of Japan's administration and work at the top of his ability,'' said Koga, the party's second-in-command after Mori, who is the LDP's president.

E

Nonaka again denies intention to succeed Mori

TOKYO, Japan - Hiromu Nonaka, a former secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) viewed as a leading candidate to succeed Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, in Saga, western Japan, on March 17 again ruled out assuming the premiership. 'I never think of becoming the prime minister. In such confused times, politicians with deep insight and fresh ideas should assume the post. As a person of the old generation, I should not think about it,' says the 75-year-old politician.

E

Ruling bloc split over LDP presidential race

TOKYO, Japan - Power brokers in Japan's ruling coalition were split March 16 over when to hold the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election to choose a new leader to replace Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. (From L to R) LDP policy chief Shizuka Kamei, former LDP Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka, himself one of Mori's possible successors, and Deputy Secretary General Kanezo Muraoka huddle during a House of Representative session.

E

Koga named LDP secretary general

TOKYO, Japan - Standing next to Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, who is also president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Makoto Koga, newly appointed secretary general, addresses a meeting of LDP leaders at the party headquarters Dec. 5. Seated at left is outgoing Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka.

E

Mori prepares for cabinet reshuffle

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori speaks to reporters outside his official residence Dec. 1 after his talks with Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka. Mori earlier said he wants to reshuffle his cabinet on Dec. 5 to prepare for the reorganization of government ministers in January.

E

Koga seen as successor to Nonaka

TOKYO, Japan - Makoto Koga, chairman of the Diet Affairs Committee of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, walks into the prime minister's official residence Dec. 1. Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori is expected to name Koga as successor to Party Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka.

E

LDP power broker Nonaka to resign

TOKYO, Japan - Hiromu Nonaka, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is surrounded by reporters Dec. 1 as he emerges from a meeting with Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori ahead of a cabinet reshuffle scheduled for early next week. Nonaka told reporters that, although the premier asked him to stay on, he ultimately accepted his offer to resign.

E

LDP's Nonaka swamped by reporters

TOKYO, Japan - Hiromu Nonaka, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is surrounded by a number of reporters on the morning of Nov. 20 near his residence in Tokyo's Minato Ward. The House of Representatives is expected to take a vote later in the day on an opposition-tabled no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's cabinet.

E

LDP to expel Kato if he supports no-confidence motion

TOKYO, Japan - Ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka tells a press conference in downtown Tokyo LDP headquarters on Nov. 19 that LDP executives decided to expel Koichi Kato and Taku Yamasaki from the party if they do not change their minds about supporting a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. 'The LDP plans to vote down the motion. If they cannot abide by that policy, they will be expelled.'

E

LDP to join coalition partners to fight Kato rebellion

TOKYO, Japan - Hiromu Nonaka (C), secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and senior party members meet in Tokyo on Nov. 14 to reconfirm the party will join its two other coalition partners to fight a possible no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. LDP heavyweight Koichi Kato said earlier that if the opposition were to submit a no-confidence motion to the Diet, he may skip the related Diet sessions, effectively giving support to the motion.

E

Mori, Nonaka, Kamei in huddle

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori (R) huddles with two top senior officials of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the Diet on Nov. 13 to discuss how to respond to LDP heavyweight Koichi Kato's demands for Mori's resignation. Mori chats with LDP Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka (C) and LDP policy chief Shizuka Kamei.

E

LDP's Nonaka, Aoki discuss ways to deal with Kato

KYOTO, Japan - Hiromu Nonaka (R), secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), discuss with former Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki how to deal with confusion within the LDP at a Kyoto hotel on Nov. 11, a day after party heavyweight Koichi Kato intensified his pressure on embattled Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori by saying he has no plans to defend Mori in the event of a no-confidence motion.

E

Zhu meets LDP's Nonaka

TOKYO, Japan - Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji (R) shakes hands with Hiromu Nonaka, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, before their talks at the state guesthouse in Tokyo on Oct. 14 as part of his meetings with Japanese ruling and opposition party leaders. Zhu arrived in Tokyo on Oct. 12 for a six-day official visit to Japan.

E

LDP's Nonaka shakes hands with Chinese Premier Zhu

BEIJING, China - Japan's Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka (L) shakes hands with Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji before talks in Beijing on Oct. 8. Zhu met with Nonaka and the secretaries general of Japan's two other ruling parties -- the New Komeito party and the New Conservative Party. Zhu will visit Japan on Oct. 12-17.

E

Japan ruling bloc secretaries general arrive in Beijing

BEIJING, China - The three secretaries general of Japan's ruling coalition arrive in Beijing on Oct. 7 for a three-day visit. Hiromu Nonaka (C) of the Liberal Democratic Party, Tetsuzo Fuyushiba of the New Komeito party and Takeshi Noda of the New Conservative Party will meet with Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan on Oct. 8.

E

Nonaka talks with Mori before China trip

TOKYO, Japan - Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka (R) and his counterparts from two LDP coalition partners, Takeshi Noda (L) of the New Conservative Party and Tetsuzo Fuyushiba (2nd from L) of the New Komeito party, talk with Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori (2nd from R) in the Diet on Oct. 5 ahead of their China visit. The trio is due to leave for Beijing on Oct. 7 to attend a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the beginning of Japan's yen loans to China.

E

S. Korea's Kim supports Japan-N. Korean talks

SEOUL, South Korea - South Korean President Kim Dae Jung (R) meets with Hiromu Nonaka (3rd from L), who represents Japan's ruling coalition as secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, at the presidential Blue House on Sept. 18. Two others in attendance are Tetsuzo Fuyushiba (2nd from L), secretary general of the New Komeito party, and Takeshi Noda (Far L), secretary general of the New Conservative Party. Kim said that direct talks between Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il are necessary to break the ice in negotiations on normalizing ties between the two nations, and that he is willing to support them.

E

President Kim greets Japan's Nonaka

SEOUL, South Korea - South Korean President Kim Dae Jung (R) shakes hands with Hiromu Nonaka, secretary general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), before talks Sept. 18 at the presidential Blue House. Kim met with Nonaka, a former chief cabinet secretary, and two top officials from the LDP's coalition partners -- Tetsuzo Fuyushiba, secretary general of the New Komeito party, and Takeshi Noda, secretary general of the New Conservative Party

E

N. Korea's Jong meets Japanese politicians

TOKYO, Japan - North Korean Ambassador Jong Thae Hwa (R), who heads a delegation for talks with Japan, meets and shakes hands with Japanese politicians at the Diet building in Tokyo on Aug. 22. From left are Hiromu Nonaka, secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, Masaaki Nakayama, head of the Japanese parliamentarian group for friendship with North Korea, and former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama. Japanese and North Korean negotiators kicked off their second round of talks the same day on establishing diplomatic ties.

E

Ozato formally appointed LDP General Council chairman

TOKYO, Japan - The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on June 30 formally appointed Sadatoshi Ozato, former head of the Management and Coordination Agency, as chairman of its decision-making General Council. Hiromu Nonaka and Shizuka Kamei were reappointed respectively as secretary general and chairman of the Policy Research Council -- the two other key party leadership posts. Posing for pictures are (2nd from L to R) Nonaka, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori who is also LDP president, Ozato and Kamei.

E

Coalition leaders meet after election

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese coalition leaders meet June 26 at the Diet following Sunday's House of Representatives general election. From left to right are Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka, New Conservative Party leader Chikage Ogi, Prime Minister and LDP President Yoshiro Mori, and New Komeito party leader Takenori Kanzaki. In the election, the three-way ruling coalition won an overall majority, taking 271 of the 480 seats. However, the figure was far below their pre-election strength of 336 seats.

E

3 coalition parties agree to have Mori stay on as premier

TOKYO, Japan - The secretaries general of the three ruling coalition parties meet June 26 to decide to have Yoshiro Mori continue serving as prime minister. Hiromu Nonaka (C) of the Liberal Democratic Party, Tetsuzo Fuyushiba (R) of the New Komeito party and Takeshi Noda (L) of the New Conservative Party also agreed to convene a special Diet session July 4 to reelect Mori as prime minister.

E

Premier Mori and LDP Secretary General Nonaka confer on election

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori (L) and ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka confer at the LDP headquarters June 25, the day of the House of Representatives general election.

E

China's Jiang urges Japan to face up to history

BEIJING, China - Chinese President Jiang Zemin (R) meets the secretaries general of Japan's three ruling coalition parties --Hiromu Nonaka of the Liberal Democratic Party (2nd from R), Tetsuzo Fuyushiba of the New Komeito party (3rd from R) and Takeshi Noda of the New Conservative Party (L) at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing on May 30. Jiang told them that the two countries should live in harmony over future generations, overcoming differences in their perceptions of World War II during which they were enemies.

E

China Premier Zhu meets with Japanese ruling parties' bosses

BEIJING, China - Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji (C) shakes hands with Takeshi Noda (far L), secretary general of Japan's New Conservative Party, in Beijing on May 29. Noda, Tetsuzo Fuyushiba (2nd from L) and Hiromu Nonaka (far R), the secretaries general of Japan's three ruling coalition parties, arrived in Beijing earlier in the day for a two-day visit to meet with President Jiang Zemin and Premier Zhu.

E

Opposition demands Mori resign

TOKYO, Japan - Yukio Hatoyama (2nd from R), leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), and DPJ Secretary General Tsutomu Hata (R) try to hand Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori (2nd from L) on May 18 a paper urging his cabinet to resign en masse. Mori refused to receive the paper. Seated at left is Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka. Both Hatoyama and Hata would not sit down during the five-minute meeting in the Diet building.

E

Prominent politicians make list of undesirable candidates

TOKYO, Japan - Members of the civic group Shimin Rentai -- Nami 21, present a list in Tokyo on May 10 of what it called ''candidates we do not want elected'' in the next general election, which is expected to be held June 25. Topping the list is former Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita, who said this month he would not run in the election, followed by Hiromu Nonaka, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and Shizuka Kamei, the party's top policy-maker. Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori was ranked fifth on the list.

E

Nonaka rules out another LDP-LP alliance

TOKYO, Japan - Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka on April 14 rules out the possibility of another alliance between the LDP and the Liberal Party (LP) following the next House of Representatives general election. ''It would be difficult for us to get back to our former relationship,'' Nonaka tells an interview with several media organizations that included Kyodo News.

E

Murayama meets the press

TOKYO, Japan - Former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama (C) and Hiromu Nonaka, acting secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party (R), speak at a news conference Dec. 3 on their just-ended mission to North Korea, where they announced a joint statement calling for an early resumption of government-level talks on normalization of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

E

Murayama reports to Obuhi

TOKYO, Japan - Former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama (R) shakes hands with Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi (C) at the latter's official residence Dec. 3. Murayama reported to Obuchi on his just-ended mission to North Korea. At left is Hiromu Nonaka who accompanied Muranama on the three-day mission.

E

Murayama greeted by

PYONGYANG, North Korea - Former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama (C) and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka (R) are greeted by Kim Yong Sun (L), secretary of the Workers Party of Korea's central committee secretariat, at the Mansudae assembly hall in Pyongyang on Dec. 1. Murayama flew into Pyongyang earlier in the day at the head of a 16-member parliamentary delegation representing Japan's seven ruling and opposition parties.

E

Japanese delegation arrives in N. Korea

PYONGYANG, North Korea - Former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama (L) and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka (2nd from R) receive flowers on arrival at Pyongyang airport Dec. 1 on a three-day visit aimed to pave the way for resuming talks on normalizing diplomatic ties between Japan and North Korea. Murayama is leading a 16-member parliamentary delegation representing Japan's seven ruling and opposition parties.

E

Murayama, Nonaka visit leader of Korean residents' group

TOKYO, Japan - Former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama (C) and Hiromu Nonaka, deputy secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (R), pay a courtesy call to So Man Sul (L), 1st vice chairman of the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, on Nov. 30 at the association's head office in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. Leading a mission of lawmakers from seven ruling and opposition parties, Murayama and Nonaka will leave Dec. 1 for a 3-day visit to North Korea.

E

LDP's Nonaka meets Chinese Leader Li

BEIJING, China - Hiromu Nonaka (L), former chief cabinet secretary and now acting secretary general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, talks with Li Ruihuan, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, at Beijing's Diaoyutai guesthouse on Nov. 24. Nonaka arrived in Beijing earlier in the day for a three-day visit.

E

Nonaka leaves premier's residence

TOKYO, Japan - Hiromu Nonaka, former chief cabinet secretary, bids farewell to employees at Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's official residence on Oct. 7. Obuchi did not reappoint Nonaka in the Oct. 5 cabinet reshuffle after accepting his request to step down as top government spokesman. Mikio Aoki, secretary general of Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers in the House of Councillors, succeeded Nonaka.

E

Dollar falls below 110 yen

TOKYO, Japan - The U.S. dollar is traded below 110 yen on the Tokyo foreign exchange market Sept. 1, prompting Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka to express concern that a higher yen could adversely affect Japan's economic recovery.

E

Obuchi grateful for defeat of no-confidence motion

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi (R) expresses his appreciation to members of the House of Representatives on Aug. 11 after a no-confidence motion against his cabinet was rejected at a plenary session, by 354 votes to 134. Standing to his left are Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka.

E

Nonaka meets press with Hinomaru flag on side

TOKYO, Japan - Top government spokesman Hiromu Nonaka meets the press with the Hinomaru flag at his side at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo on Aug. 9, after the Diet passed into law earlier in the day a bill legally recognizing the Hinomaru as Japan's national flag and ''Kimigayo'' as the national anthem. The Hinomaru had never been placed there before.

E

Premier's official visit to Yasukuni under study

TOKYO, Japan - The Japanese government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will look into ways that would allow official government visits to Yasukuni Shrine (photo) in Tokyo, which enshrines some 2.4 million Japanese military personnel and officials who have died since 1853 in Japan's wars. Seven hanged class-A war criminals are among those enshrined. Top cabinet spokesman Hiromu Nonaka said on Aug. 6 that in his personal opinion, the shrine should be made into an entity similar to a national cemetery after discarding the shrine's religious flavor and removing dedications to class-A criminals.

E

Gov't adopts measures to create 700,000 new jobs

Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi (R) presides over a cabinet session, called June 11 to adopt a package of emergency measures aimed to create more than 700,000 new jobs and revive the competitiveness of Japanese companies. Seated from left to right are Labor Minister Akira Amari, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka and Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa.