Noboru Takeshita

Served as Japan's 74th prime minister from November 1987 to June 1989 and played a key role in the implementation of the consumption tax in April 1989. Takeshita was forced to step down as prime minister to take responsibility for the Recruit stock-for-favors scandal implicating politicians, senior government officials and businessmen. Born Feb. 26, 1924, died June 19, 2000.