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Veteran cartoonist Kato dies at 80

TOKYO, Japan - Veteran cartoonist Yoshiro Kato (file photo), known for the newspaper strips he drew for decades portraying ordinary people's lives with satire, died of respiratory failure on Jan. 6, family members said Jan. 16. He was 80.

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Kato meets press after no-confidence motion

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Kato, former secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), speaks to reporters at his faction office in Tokyo on March 5 after boycotting a plenary session of the House of Representatives. The lower house voted down a no-confidence motion against the cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori by a majority vote by the ruling coalition parties. Kato staged a failed revolt against Mori in November.

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Kato indicates Mori should announce resignation before motion

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Kato, former secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), speaks to reporters in Tokyo's Kasumigseki on March 2. He indicated Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori should announce his resignation before the opposition camp presents a no-confidence motion against his cabinet March 5.

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Ehime governor demands U.S. raise ship sunken in sub collision

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows Ehime Gov. Moriyuki Kato being surrounded by a number of reporters Feb. 11 after he asked Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori to demand the United States immediately raise a Japanese ship sunken by a U.S. submarine in a collision on Feb. 9. ''The captain of the ship has said many of the missing people are likely confined in the ship,'' Kato told reporters after meeting Mori at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo.

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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.'

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LDP Kato's faction members discuss no-confidence motion

TOKYO, Japan - Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Diet members belonging to the faction headed by ex-LDP Secretary General Koichi Kato (C) meet to discuss a planned no-confidence motion against the cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. Kato expressed his intention to vote for the motion to be submitted by the opposition camp to the Diet on Monday in a bid to oust Mori from the premiership.

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LDP's Kato surrounded by reporters out front of his home

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Kato, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) heavyweight, is surrounded by reporters out front of his home in Tokyo's Minato Ward in the morning on Nov. 18. Kato reiterated he will vote for a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's cabinet expected to be submitted to the Diet by opposition parties Nov. 20. Kato is a former LDP secretary general who heads the LDP's second largest faction.

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Kato to vote for no-confidence motion against Mori

TOKYO, Japan - Senior ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) member Koichi Kato sends an OK signal to his colleague during a House of Representatives plenary session Nov. 17. Kato said earlier in the day he will vote in favor of a planned no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.

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LDP heavyweights in Diet session

TOKYO, Japan - (From L to R, background) Koichi Kato, former secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Junichiro Koizumi, head of an LDP faction led by Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, and Kanezo Muraoka, acting leader of the biggest LDP power bloc led by former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, are seated in their House of Representatives seats during a plenary session Nov. 16.

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Kato beams on photographers

TOKYO, Japan - Former Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Koichi Kato, who set off an LDP power struggle last week by saying he might vote for a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, beams on photographers as he leaves his Tokyo office Nov. 15.

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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.

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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.

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LDP's Kato attends faction meeting

TOKYO, Japan - Prime ministerial aspirant Koichi Kato (L) attends a meeting Nov. 13 of senior members of his faction, the second largest in Japan's governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Besides Kato is Noboru Harada, Kato's chief of staff. Kato, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister and LDP President Yoshiro Mori, has indicated he may support an opposition no-confidence motion against Mori rather than merely abstain from a vote on it.

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LDP's Kato visits Finance Minister Miyazawa

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Kato, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party senior member demanding that Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori steps down, answers reporters' questions Nov. 12 after visiting the Tokyo home of Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa. Miyazawa, who formerly headed Kato's faction, advised Kato to exercise self-restraint.

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LDP factions favoring Mori agree to keep supporting cabinet

TOKYO, Japan - Junichiro Koizumi (far L), chairman of a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) faction led by Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, Ryutaro Hashimoto (2nd from L), who heads his LDP faction, and three other leaders of LDP factions in favor of Prime Minister Mori's administration hold talks at a Tokyo hotel on the night of Nov. 11. The meeting followed LDP heavyweight Koichi Kato's intensified calls for Mori to resign. The leader confirmed they will continue supporting the Mori government.

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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.

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LDP's Kato reiterates plan to skip Diet sessions

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows Liberal Democratic Party's heavyweight Koichi Kato leaving his office in Tokyo's Kasumigaseki district on Nov. 11. He reiterated earlier in the day his plan to skip related Diet sessions should the opposition submit a no-confidence motion against the cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and the Diet act on it.

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LDP heavyweights Kato, Yamasaki meet

FUKUOKA, Japan - Ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) heavyweights Koichi Kato (R) and Taku Yamasaki meet at a hotel in Fukuoka on Nov. 10. Kato, a former secretary general, and Yamasaki, a former policy chief, have voiced criticism of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's administration.

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LDP's Kato may skip no-confidence vote if called

SAGA, Japan - Ruling party heavyweight Koichi Kato on Nov. 10 fields questions from reporters in Saga, western Japan, as he reportedly put further pressure on embattled Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. Kato was quoted by political sources as saying he may be absent from the Diet if the opposition submits a no-confidence motion against Mori and the Diet acts on it.

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Japanese singer Kato named new U.N. goodwill envoy

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese singer Tokiko Kato (R) shakes hands with Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori at the premier's official residence in Tokyo on Oct. 30 after being officially appointed by Mori as new goodwill ambassador to the U.N. Environment Program (UNEP). Kato is the first Japanese to hold the post.

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(CAPTION CORRECTED) Tax panel calls for higher taxes in futureKyodo

TOKYO, Japan - Kan Kato, chairman of the Tax Commission, speaks at a news conference July 14 after handing Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori an interim report recommending tax hikes over the medium- and long-term to tackle Japan's ballooning fiscal deficit and growing social security burdens.

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LDP's Kato, Yamasaki seek power after Mori

FUKUOKA, Japan - Two faction leaders of the Liberal Democratic Party, Koichi Kato (L) and Taku Yamasaki, attend a political forum April 8 in Yamasaki's hometown Fukuoka, southwestern Japan. Both Kato and Yamasaki are seeking power after new LDP President and Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori succeeded Keizo Obuchi on April 5.

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LDP approves Hashimoto's resignation

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto (C), who is also president of the Liberal Democratic Party, chats with party executives -- Secretary General Koichi Kato (L) and Yoshiro Mori (R), chairman of the General Council -- before the opening of a meeting of the General Council, the party's top decision-making panel, in Tokyo on July 14. The meeting officially approved Hashimoto's resignation. He quit after the party's setback in Sunday's upper house election.

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Veteran cartoonist Kato dies at 80

TOKYO, Japan - Veteran cartoonist Yoshiro Kato (file photo), known for the newspaper strips he drew for decades portraying ordinary people's lives with satire, died of respiratory failure on Jan. 6, family members said Jan. 16. He was 80.

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Japan's top government spokesman Kato

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato attends a press conference in Tokyo on Feb. 5, 2021.Controversial remarks about women by the head of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee continued to draw criticism on Friday with Japanese ministers voicing concerns over the comments globally seen as sexist.

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Kato meets press after no-confidence motion

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Kato, former secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), speaks to reporters at his faction office in Tokyo on March 5 after boycotting a plenary session of the House of Representatives. The lower house voted down a no-confidence motion against the cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori by a majority vote by the ruling coalition parties. Kato staged a failed revolt against Mori in November.

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Kato indicates Mori should announce resignation before motion

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Kato, former secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), speaks to reporters in Tokyo's Kasumigseki on March 2. He indicated Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori should announce his resignation before the opposition camp presents a no-confidence motion against his cabinet March 5.

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Ehime governor demands U.S. raise ship sunken in sub collision

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows Ehime Gov. Moriyuki Kato being surrounded by a number of reporters Feb. 11 after he asked Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori to demand the United States immediately raise a Japanese ship sunken by a U.S. submarine in a collision on Feb. 9. ''The captain of the ship has said many of the missing people are likely confined in the ship,'' Kato told reporters after meeting Mori at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo.

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Mori's rivals back down, no-confidence motion to fail

TOKYO, Japan - Senior politician Koichi Kato is moved to tears as he is surrounded by followers at a joint meeting of his faction members and Taku Yamasaki's at a Tokyo hotel Nov. 20. Kato and Yamasaki, leaders of ruling Liberal Democratic Party factions, said they would not attend the House of Representatives plenary session where the opposition submitted a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's cabinet, ensuring the motion will be defeated. Kato and Yamasaki earlier said they would support the motion that could oust Mori from power.

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LDP's Kato responds to questions from reporters

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Kato, a former secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), answers questions from reporters near his residence in Tokyo's Minami-Aoyama on the mroning of Nov. 20. Kato and his close ally Taku Yamasaki, a former LDP policy chief, have said they will vote in favor of an oppotition-tabled no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's cabinet.

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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.'

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LDP's Kato surrounded by reporters out front of his home

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Kato, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) heavyweight, is surrounded by reporters out front of his home in Tokyo's Minato Ward in the morning on Nov. 18. Kato reiterated he will vote for a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's cabinet expected to be submitted to the Diet by opposition parties Nov. 20. Kato is a former LDP secretary general who heads the LDP's second largest faction.

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LDP Kato's faction members discuss no-confidence motion

TOKYO, Japan - Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Diet members belonging to the faction headed by ex-LDP Secretary General Koichi Kato (C) meet to discuss a planned no-confidence motion against the cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. Kato expressed his intention to vote for the motion to be submitted by the opposition camp to the Diet on Monday in a bid to oust Mori from the premiership.

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Kato to vote for no-confidence motion against Mori

TOKYO, Japan - Senior ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) member Koichi Kato sends an OK signal to his colleague during a House of Representatives plenary session Nov. 17. Kato said earlier in the day he will vote in favor of a planned no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.

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LDP heavyweights in Diet session

TOKYO, Japan - (From L to R, background) Koichi Kato, former secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Junichiro Koizumi, head of an LDP faction led by Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, and Kanezo Muraoka, acting leader of the biggest LDP power bloc led by former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, are seated in their House of Representatives seats during a plenary session Nov. 16.

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Kato beams on photographers

TOKYO, Japan - Former Liberal-Democratic Party Secretary General Koichi Kato, who set off an LDP power struggle last week by saying he might vote for a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, beams on photographers as he leaves his Tokyo office Nov. 15.

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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.

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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.

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LDP's Kato attends faction meeting

TOKYO, Japan - Prime ministerial aspirant Koichi Kato (L) attends a meeting Nov. 13 of senior members of his faction, the second largest in Japan's governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Besides Kato is Noboru Harada, Kato's chief of staff. Kato, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister and LDP President Yoshiro Mori, has indicated he may support an opposition no-confidence motion against Mori rather than merely abstain from a vote on it.

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LDP's Kato visits Finance Minister Miyazawa

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Kato, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party senior member demanding that Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori steps down, answers reporters' questions Nov. 12 after visiting the Tokyo home of Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa. Miyazawa, who formerly headed Kato's faction, advised Kato to exercise self-restraint.

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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.

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LDP's Kato reiterates plan to skip Diet sessions

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows the Liberal Democratic Party's heavyweight Koichi Kato leaving his office in Tokyo's Kasumigaseki district on Nov. 11. He reiterated earlier in the day his plan to skip related Diet sessions should the opposition submit a no-confidence motion against the cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and the Diet act on it.

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LDP heavyweights Kato, Yamasaki meet

FUKUOKA, Japan - Ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) heavyweights Koichi Kato (R) and Taku Yamasaki meet at a hotel in Fukuoka on Nov. 10. Kato, a former secretary general, and Yamasaki, a former policy chief, have voiced criticism of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's administration.

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LDP factions favoring Mori agree to keep supporting cabinet

TOKYO, Japan - Junichiro Koizumi (far L), chairman of a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) faction led by Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, Ryutaro Hashimoto (2nd from L), who heads his LDP faction, and three other leaders of LDP factions in favor of Prime Minister Mori's administration hold talks at a Tokyo hotel on the night of Nov. 11. The meeting followed LDP heavyweight Koichi Kato's intensified calls for Mori to resign. The leader confirmed they will continue supporting the Mori government.

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LDP's Kato may skip no-confidence vote if called

SAGA, Japan - Ruling party heavyweight Koichi Kato on Nov. 10 fields questions from reporters in Saga, western Japan, as he reportedly put further pressure on embattled Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. Kato was quoted by political sources as saying he may be absent from the Diet if the opposition submits a no-confidence motion against Mori and the Diet acts on it.

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Japanese singer Kato named new U.N. goodwill envoy

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese singer Tokiko Kato (R) shakes hands with Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori at the premier's official residence in Tokyo on Oct. 30 after being officially appointed by Mori as new goodwill ambassador to the U.N. Environment Program (UNEP). Kato is the first Japanese to hold the post.

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Tax panel calls for higher taxes in future

TOKYO, Japan - Hiroshi Kato, chairman of the Tax Commission, speaks at a news conference July 14 after handing Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori an interim report recommending tax hikes over the medium- and long-term to tackle Japan's ballooning fiscal deficit and growing social security burdens.

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LDP's Kato, Yamasaki seek power after Mori

FUKUOKA, Japan - Two faction leaders of the Liberal Democratic Party, Koichi Kato (L) and Taku Yamasaki, attend a political forum April 8 in Yamasaki's hometown Fukuoka, southwestern Japan. Both Kato and Yamasaki are seeking power after new LDP President and Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori succeeded Keizo Obuchi on April 5.

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LDP approves Hashimoto's resigna

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto (C), who is also president of the Liberal Democratic Party, chats with party executives -- Secretary General Koichi Kato (L) and Yoshiro Mori (R), chairman of the General Council -- before the opening of a meeting of the General Council, the party's top decision-making panel, in Tokyo on July 14. The meeting officially approved Hashimoto's resignation. He quit after the party's setback in Sunday's upper house election. ==Kyodo