Takeo Miki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Takeo Miki
|
|
|---|---|
|
三木 武夫
|
|
Miki in 1974
|
|
| Prime Minister of Japan | |
| In office 9 December 1974 – 24 December 1976 |
|
| Monarch | Shōwa |
| Deputy | Takeo Fukuda |
| Preceded by | Kakuei Tanaka |
| Succeeded by | Takeo Fukuda |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 31 March 1937 – 14 November 1988 |
|
| Constituency | Tokushima At-large |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 March 1907 Awa, Tokushima, Empire of Japan |
| Died | 14 November 1988 (aged 81) Tokyo, Japan |
| Political party | Liberal Democratic Party |
| Spouse |
Mutsuko Miki
(m. 1940) |
| Alma mater | Meiji University University of Southern California |
| Signature |  |
Takeo Miki (三木 武夫, Miki Takeo, 17 March 1907 – 14 November 1988) was a Japanese politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Japan from 1974 to 1976.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Takeo Miki was born on March 17, 1907. His birthplace was Gosho, in what is now Awa, Tokushima, in Tokushima Prefecture. He was the only child of Hisayoshi and Takano Miki. His father was a farmer and merchant. He sold things like fertilizers, sake, and rice.
Takeo was loved very much by his parents. His mother was especially careful about his health.
While studying law at Meiji University in Japan, Miki visited the United States. There, he learned about how liberal societies work. He also saw how much they disliked governments that controlled everything, like those in Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union. He later attended the University of Southern California and received an honorary law degree from them in 1966.
Early Political Career
In 1937, Takeo Miki was elected to the Diet of Japan, which is Japan's parliament. He remained a member for the rest of his life. He was re-elected 19 times over 51 years.
During the 1942 general election, he bravely spoke out against the military government. This government was led by Hideki Tōjō. Even so, Miki still won his seat in the Diet.
After World War II, Miki led a political party called the National Cooperative Party. In the early 1950s, he joined the Democratic Party. This party was one of the main conservative groups at the time. In 1955, the Democratic Party merged with another party. They formed the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Miki then joined the LDP.
Becoming Prime Minister
As a leader within the LDP, Miki held important jobs in several governments. He served under Prime Ministers Ichirō Hatoyama, Nobusuke Kishi, Hayato Ikeda, and Eisaku Satō.
Miki was chosen as Prime Minister on December 9, 1974. He took over from Kakuei Tanaka. Tanaka had faced questions about his involvement with some companies. Miki was chosen because he was known for being honest. He was also seen as someone who could unite different parts of the party. Miki himself was surprised to be chosen.
In 1975, while attending the funeral of former Prime Minister Eisaku Satō, Miki was attacked by a right-wing extremist. This led to concerns about his safety.
As Prime Minister, Miki continued a policy from 1967. This policy limited Japan's defense spending to no more than 1% of its national income. He also worked to make sure Japan would not sell weapons to other countries. Miki also pushed for Japan to fully agree to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. This treaty aims to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.
Miki tried to make changes within the LDP. He investigated a major bribery scandal involving a company called Lockheed. He also worked on reforms for how political campaigns were funded. These actions made some people in his own party unhappy. Despite this, Miki was popular with the public. However, the Lockheed scandal made the LDP lose many seats in the 1976 election. As a result, Miki resigned. Takeo Fukuda became the next Prime Minister on December 24, 1976.
Legacy and Connections
Takeo Miki passed away on November 14, 1988.
Interestingly, NFL player Takeo Spikes was named after Prime Minister Miki.
Connection to Seattle
When Miki was younger, he spent some time in Seattle, USA. He even worked as a dishwasher at a Japanese restaurant there called Maneki.
To celebrate the friendship between Japan and America, Miki gave 1,000 cherry trees to Seattle in 1976. This was to mark the 200th anniversary of the United States. This gift led to the creation of the Seattle Cherry Blossom Festival. This festival is still held every year.
Slang Term
In Hong Kong, the name "Takeo Miki" (三木武夫) is sometimes used as a slang term. It describes actors or actresses who show very little emotion in movies or TV shows. Some people believe this term came from Miki's serious expression when he appeared on the news.
Honours
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum (14 November 1988; posthumous)
Foreign honour
Mexico: Sash of the Order of the Aztec Eagle (18 September 1967)
Gallery
See also
In Spanish: Takeo Miki para niños
