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Former Japanese lower house speaker Kono dies

File photo taken in August 1993 at the prime minister's office in Tokyo shows Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono issuing an official statement acknowledging the Japanese military's responsibility for the forced labor of Korean "comfort women" in Japan's wartime military brothels, and announcing the government's landmark apology for the issue. Kono, former speaker of the House of Representatives, died on June 8, 2026, aged 89.

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Former Japanese lower house speaker Kono dies

File photo taken in June 1994 at the parliament building in Tokyo shows (from R) Liberal Democratic Party leader Yohei Kono, Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama of the Japan Socialist Party and New Party Sakigake leader Masayoshi Takemura shaking hands before a meeting to form the Cabinet of their new coalition government. Kono, former speaker of the House of Representatives, known for announcing the Japanese government's landmark apology over Korean "comfort women" who were forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels, died on June 8, 2026, aged 89.

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Former Japanese lower house speaker Kono dies

File photo taken in July 1993 at the Liberal Democratic Party's headquarters in Tokyo shows Yohei Kono (L) following his victory in the party's presidential election. Kono, former speaker of the House of Representatives, known for announcing the Japanese government's landmark apology over Korean "comfort women" who were forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels, died on June 8, 2026, aged 89.

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Former Japanese lower house speaker Kono dies

File photo taken on July 5, 2023, shows Yohei Kono (L), leader of a delegation from the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade, meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Kono, former speaker of the House of Representatives, known for announcing the Japanese government's landmark apology over Korean "comfort women" who were forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels, died on June 8, 2026, aged 89.

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Former Japanese lower house speaker Kono dies

File photo taken in September 2005 shows Yohei Kono (L) and his son Taro pointing at their nameplates as they arrived at the parliament building in Tokyo following a general election of the Japanese House of Representatives. Yohei Kono, former speaker of the House of Representatives, known for announcing the Japanese government's landmark apology over Korean "comfort women" who were forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels, died on June 8, 2026, aged 89.

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Former Japanese lower house speaker Kono dies

File photo taken in Tokyo on March 23, 2025, shows Yohei Kono (L), former speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives, posing for a photo with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Kono, former speaker of the House of Representatives, known for announcing the Japanese government's landmark apology over Korean "comfort women" who were forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels, died on June 8, 2026, aged 89.

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Former Japanese lower house speaker Kono dies

File photo taken in Tokyo on July 21, 2009, shows Japanese House of Representatives speaker Yohei Kono announcing the dissolution of the lower house during its plenary session. Kono, former speaker of the House of Representatives, known for announcing the Japanese government's landmark apology over Korean "comfort women" who were forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels, died on June 8, 2026, aged 89.

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Former Japanese lower house speaker Kono dies

File photo taken in July 1994 shows Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono (R) chatting with Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama ahead of a Cabinet meeting at the premier's office in Tokyo. Kono, former speaker of the House of Representatives, known for announcing the Japanese government's landmark apology over Korean "comfort women" who were forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels, died on June 8, 2026, aged 89.

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Ex-Japan lower house speaker Kono in Beijing

Former Japanese House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono (L) holds talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 3, 2025.

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Ex-Japan lower house speaker Kono in Beijing

Former Japanese House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono (L) shakes hands with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 3, 2025.

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Ex-Japan lower house speaker Kono in Beijing

Former Japanese House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono (L) and Chinese Premier Li Qiang are pictured before a photo session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 3, 2025.

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Ex-Japan lower house speaker Kono in Beijing

Former Japanese House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono (front, 2nd from L) and Chinese Premier Li Qiang (front, 3rd from L) take part in a photo session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 3, 2025.

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Ex-Japan lower house speaker Kono in Beijing

Former Japanese House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono (front, 2nd from L) and Chinese Premier Li Qiang (front, 3rd from L) take part in a photo session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 3, 2025.

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Ex-Japan lower house speaker Kono in Beijing

Former Japanese House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono (L) shakes hands with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 3, 2025.

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Ex-Japan lower house speaker Kono in Beijing

Former Japanese House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono (L) and Chinese Premier Li Qiang are pictured before a photo session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 3, 2025.

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CHINA-BEIJING-HE LIFENG-JAPAN-MEETING (CN)

(240702) -- BEIJING, July 2, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Yohei Kono, president of the Japan Association for the Promotion of International Trade (JAPIT) and a delegation from the Japanese business community headed by Kono, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 1, 2024. Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM/Li Xiang)

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CHINA-BEIJING-HE LIFENG-JAPAN-MEETING (CN)

(240702) -- BEIJING, July 2, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Yohei Kono, president of the Japan Association for the Promotion of International Trade (JAPIT) and a delegation from the Japanese business community headed by Kono, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 1, 2024. Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM/Li Xiang)

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Japanese ex-lawmaker Kono in China

Japanese former House of Representatives speaker Yohei Kono (front, L) and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng (front, R) walk to the venue of their meeting in Beijing on July 1, 2024.

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Japanese ex-lawmaker Kono in China

Japanese former House of Representatives speaker Yohei Kono (L) and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng (R) hold talks in Beijing on July 1, 2024.

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CHINA-BEIJING-WANG YI-JAPIT PRESIDENT-MEETING (CN)

(230706) -- BEIJING, July 6, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Yohei Kono, president of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade (JAPIT), in Beijing, capital of China, July 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

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CHINA-BEIJING-LI QIANG-JAPIT-MEETING (CN)

(230705) -- BEIJING, July 5, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with a delegation led by Yohei Kono, president of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade (JAPIT), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

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Japan delegation meets China Premier Li

Yohei Kono (C), leader of a delegation from the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade, and Okinawa Gov. and delegation member Denny Tamaki (L) meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 5, 2023.

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Japan delegation meets China Premier Li

Yohei Kono (L), leader of a delegation from the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade, meets with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 5, 2023.

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Japan delegation meets China Premier Li

Yohei Kono (L), leader of a delegation from the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang shake hands at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 5, 2023.

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Japan delegation meets China Premier Li

Yohei Kono (L), leader of a delegation from the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade, meets with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 5, 2023.

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Japan delegation meets China Premier Li

Yohei Kono, leader of a delegation from the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade, attends a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Qiang and the group at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 5, 2023.

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Ex-Japan spokesman in S. Korea

SEOUL, South Korea - Japan's former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono (L) and South Korean President-elect Park Geun Hye shake hands before their talks in Seoul on Feb. 14, 2013. Japan may be reviewing Kono's 1993 statement that acknowledged the Japanese military's involvement in the forced recruitment of women into sexual servitude.

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(6)Funeral for Princess Takamatsu held in Tokyo

TOKYO, Japan - (From L to R) Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono and House of Councillors President Chikage Ogi attend the funeral for Princess Takamatsu, an aunt of Emperor Akihito who died at age 92 earlier this month, held at the Toshimagaoka Cemetery in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward on Dec. 26.

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DPJ lawmaker Kamata submits resignation letter to speaker

TOKYO, Japan - Opposition Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker Sayuri Kamata (R) submitted a letter of resignation Dec. 24 to House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono following the Supreme Court's dismissal of her campaigners' appeal of their convictions for breaking the election law.

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Politicians pay tribute to the late JCP leader Kenji Miyamoto

TOKYO, Japan - Representatives of major political parties in Japan pay tribute to the late Japanese Communist Party leader Kenji Miyamoto at a memorial service held in Tokyo on Aug. 6. From L to R: JCP chairman Kazuo Shii, House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono, former JCP Chairman Tetsuzo Fuwa, Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa (two persons away from Fuwa), Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama and New Komeito deputy leader Chikara Sakaguchi.

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Yohei Kono

Yohei Kono, former Speaker of the House of Representatives (photo taken on June 9, 2015)

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Ex-Japanese lawmaker meets China's 4th-ranked politician

BEIJING, China - Yohei Kono (L), a former senior member of Japan's main ruling party known for his apology in the 1990s to women who worked against their will in wartime military brothels, holds talks with China's fourth-ranking Communist Party member Yu Zhengsheng at Beijing's Great Hall of the People on Dec. 19, 2014. (Pool photo by Kyodo News)

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Ex-Japanese lawmaker meets China's 4th-ranked politician

BEIJING, China - Yohei Kono (L), a former senior member of Japan's main ruling party known for his apology in the 1990s to women who worked against their will in wartime military brothels, shakes hands with China's fourth-ranking Communist Party member Yu Zhengsheng ahead of their talks at Beijing's Great Hall of the People on Dec. 19, 2014. (Pool photo by Kyodo News)

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Japan delegate in China

BEIJING, China - Japan's former House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono (L) and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang meet in Beijing on April 15, 2014. (Pool photo by Kyodo News)

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Japan delegate in China

BEIJING, China - Japan's former House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono (L) and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang shake hands before their meeting in Beijing on April 15, 2014. (Pool photo by Kyodo News)

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Ex-lower house speaker Kono gives interview

TOKYO, Japan - Former House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono speaks during an interview with Kyodo News in Tokyo on Dec. 25, 2012.

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Japan new Cabinet

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's new Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga holds a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 27, 2012. Suga indicated the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is eager to review a 1993 statement on the issue of "comfort women" by Yohei Kono, Suga's predecessor as top government spokesman.

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Japan new Cabinet

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's new Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga holds a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 27, 2012. Suga indicated the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is eager to review a 1993 statement on the issue of "comfort women" by Yohei Kono, Suga's predecessor as top government spokesman.

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Japan-China territorial dispute

BEIJING, China - Yohei Kono (far R), former Japanese House of Representatives speaker, Satsuki Eda (2nd from R), a senior lawmaker of the Democratic Party of Japan, and other Japanese delegates attend a press conference at a Beijing hotel on the night of Sept. 27, 2012, after holding talks with top Communist Party of China official Jia Qinglin. Jia, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who ranks fourth in Beijing's leadership, urged the Japanese delegation led by Kono to recognize the existence of a territorial dispute with China over a group of Japanese-administered, Chinese-claimed islands in the East China Sea, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

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Japan-China territorial dispute

BEIJING, China - Yohei Kono, former Japanese House of Representatives speaker, attends a press conference at a Beijing hotel on the night of Sept. 27, 2012, after holding talks with top Communist Party of China official Jia Qinglin. Jia, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who ranks fourth in Beijing's leadership, urged a Japanese delegation led by Kono to recognize the existence of a territorial dispute with China over a group of Japanese-administered, Chinese-claimed islands in the East China Sea, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

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Japan-China territorial dispute

BEIJING, China - Yohei Kono (L), former Japanese House of Representatives speaker, holds a meeting with top Communist Party of China official Jia Qinglin (R) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sept. 27, 2012. Jia, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who ranks fourth in Beijing's leadership, urged a Japanese delegation led by Kono to recognize the existence of a territorial dispute with China over a group of Japanese-administered, Chinese-claimed islands in the East China Sea, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. (Pool photo)

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Japan-China territorial dispute

BEIJING, China - Yohei Kono (L), former Japanese House of Representatives speaker, heads for a meeting with top Communist Party of China official Jia Qinglin at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sept. 27, 2012. Jia, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who ranks fourth in Beijing's leadership, urged a Japanese delegation led by Kono to recognize the existence of a territorial dispute with China over a group of Japanese-administered, Chinese-claimed islands in the East China Sea, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. (Pool photo)

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Japan-China territorial dispute

BEIJING, China - Yohei Kono (L), former Japanese House of Representatives speaker, holds a meeting with top Communist Party of China official Jia Qinglin (R) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sept. 27, 2012. Jia, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who ranks fourth in Beijing's leadership, urged a Japanese delegation led by Kono to recognize the existence of a territorial dispute with China over a group of Japanese-administered, Chinese-claimed islands in the East China Sea, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. (Pool photo)

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China VP Xi, Japan delegation

BEIJING, China - China's Vice President Xi Jinping (C front row), Japan's former House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono (L front row) and others gather for group photos at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 24, 2012. (Pool photo)

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China VP Xi, Japan ex-speaker Kono

BEIJING, China - China's Vice President Xi Jinping (R) holds talks with Japan's former House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 24, 2012. (Pool photo)

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Kono retires after serving longest term as House speaker

TOKYO, Japan - House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono speaks during a news conference in the Diet building in Tokyo on July 21 after the lower house was dissolved for a general election on Aug. 30. Kono will not run in the election and will retire from politics.

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Japan's lower house dissolution

TOKYO, Japan - Members of the House of Representatives raise hands and shout ''banzai'' (long life), following a longtime practice, when Speaker Yohei Kono declares the lower house is dissolved at the chamber's plenary room in Tokyo on July 21.

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Japan's lower house dissolved for Aug. 30 general election

TOKYO, Japan - House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono reads out Emperor Akihito's dissolution rescript during a plenary session of the lower house on July 21. The general election will be held on Aug. 30 with official campaigning set to begin Aug. 18.

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Japan's lower house dissolution

TOKYO, Japan - A group of legislators from the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan react to House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono's declaration that the lower house is dissolved on July 21.

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Opposition parties submit no-confidence motion against Cabinet

TOKYO, Japan - Kenji Yamaoka (3rd from R), chairman of the Diet Affairs Committee of the leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan, submits a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet to House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono at the Diet building in Tokyo on July 13.