Yukio Hatoyama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yukio Hatoyama
鳩山 友紀夫
Official portrait, 2007
Prime Minister of Japan
In office 16 September 2009 – 8 June 2010
Monarch	Akihito
Deputy	Naoto Kan
Preceded by	Tarō Asō
Succeeded by	Naoto Kan
President of the Democratic Party
In office 16 May 2009 – 4 June 2010
Preceded by	Ichirō Ozawa
Succeeded by	Naoto Kan
In office 25 September 1999 – 10 December 2002
Preceded by	Naoto Kan
Succeeded by	Naoto Kan
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 23 June 1986 – 16 December 2012
Preceded by	Multi-member district
Succeeded by	Manabu Horii
Constituency	Hokkaido 4th (1986–1996) Hokkaido 9th (1996–2012)
Majority	122,345 (40.2%) (2009)
Personal details
Born	(1947-02-11) 11 February 1947 (age 78) Bunkyō, Tokyo, Empire of Japan
Political party	Independent
Other political affiliations	LDP (before 1993) NPS (1993–1996) DP (1996–1998) DPJ (1998–2012) Independent (2012–2020) Kyowa (2020–2022)
Spouse	Miyuki Hatoyama ​ (m. 1975)​
Children	Kiichirō Hatoyama
Parents	Iichirō Hatoyama Yasuko Hatoyama
Relatives	Hatoyama family
Alma mater	University of Tokyo (BE) Stanford University (PhD)
Signature
Website	Official website: https://www.hatoyama.gr.jp/

Yukio Hatoyama (鳩山 友紀夫, born 鳩山 由紀夫, Hatoyama Yukio, born 11 February 1947) is a Japanese politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Japan and leader of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) from 2009 to 2010. He was the first Prime Minister from the modern DPJ.

Hatoyama was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1986. In May 2009, he became the leader of the DPJ, which was the main opposition party. He led his party to a big win in the 2009 general election. This victory ended the long rule of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He represented the Hokkaido 9th district from 1986 to 2012.

In 2012, Hatoyama decided to retire from politics. Since then, he has shared his political views online, especially on Twitter. He caused some discussion when he visited Crimea in 2015. He also joined in starting a small political group called the Kyowa Party in 2020, but he later left it.

Early Life and Family Background

Ichirō Hatoyama with his grandsons, Yukio and Kunio.

Yukio Hatoyama comes from a very important political family in Japan. His family has been involved in politics for many generations. Some people compare his family to the Kennedy family in the United States.

Hatoyama was born in Bunkyō, Tokyo. He is a "fourth-generation politician," meaning his family has been in politics for four generations. His great-grandfather, Kazuo Hatoyama, was the speaker of the House of Representatives from 1896 to 1897. Kazuo also became the president of Waseda University. His great-grandmother, Haruko Hatoyama, helped start what is now Kyoritsu Women's University.

His grandfather, Ichirō Hatoyama, was also a very important politician. He served as Prime Minister and helped start the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in 1956. As Prime Minister, he helped Japan become a member of the United Nations.

Yukio Hatoyama's father, Iichirō Hatoyama, was a Foreign Minister. His mother, Yasuko Hatoyama, is the daughter of Shojiro Ishibashi, who founded Bridgestone Corporation. Yasuko Hatoyama is known for giving a lot of money to help her sons' political careers. She donated a lot of money when Yukio and his brother Kunio started their first political party in 1996.

His younger brother, Kunio Hatoyama, was also a politician. He served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications. Kunio's wife, Emily Hatoyama, was a TV personality in Japan.

Yukio Hatoyama studied at the University of Tokyo and earned a degree in engineering in 1969. He then got his PhD in industrial engineering from Stanford University in 1976. He met his wife, Miyuki Hatoyama, while he was studying at Stanford. They got married in 1975. Their son, Kiichirō (紀一郎), is an engineering researcher. Kiichirō later followed his father into politics, being elected in 2024.

Before becoming a politician, Hatoyama worked as a professor. He taught at Tokyo Institute of Technology from 1976 to 1981. Then, he moved to Senshu University and worked there from 1981 to 1984.

Political Journey

Hatoyama with Vladimir Putin in 2000.

Hatoyama started his political career in 1986. He was elected to the House of Representatives, representing the Hokkaido 9th District. At that time, he was part of the ruling LDP. In 1993, he left the LDP to form a new party called the New Party Sakigake. He later joined the new Democratic Party (Japan, 1996).

Yukio and his brother Kunio helped create the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in 1996. Their mother, Yasuko, gave them a lot of money to start the party. Kunio later left the DPJ and rejoined the LDP. Yukio stayed with the DPJ as it grew and merged with other parties in 1998.

Hatoyama became the leader of the DPJ and the opposition from 1999 to 2002. He later became the Secretary-General of the DPJ. In May 2009, he became the party leader again. He won the election against Katsuya Okada.

Because of his unique look and style, some people called him "ET" or "The Alien." His wife said he got this nickname because he was different from older Japanese politicians. Another nickname was "Popo," which comes from a children's song about a pigeon. The first part of Hatoyama's last name means "pigeon" in Japanese.

Time as Prime Minister (2009–2010)

Hatoyama with Barack Obama in 2009.

Hatoyama with Robert Gates in 2009.

When Hatoyama became Prime Minister, many people had high hopes for him. The DPJ had promised to stop spending so much money on public projects. They wanted to use that money for tax cuts and help for families instead. People expected him to make big changes from the LDP's policies.

However, Hatoyama's popularity began to drop. The DPJ found it hard to meet all the high expectations, especially as the economy was struggling. In May 2010, he faced a possible vote to remove him from office. On June 2, 2010, Hatoyama announced he would resign as Prime Minister.

Even though he was Prime Minister for less than a year, Hatoyama achieved several things:

• He started a government payment for families with young children.
• He made public high school tuition free.
• He introduced a program to support rice farmers' income.
• He brought back a special allowance for single-mother households.
• He greatly increased spending on social programs. This included money for child care, nursing care, and medical care.
• He increased the education budget by 8.2%.
• He expanded the student scholarship system to help more students.
• He extended employment insurance to cover all workers.
• He reduced medical costs for unemployed people.
• He worked to remove age limits in medical services.
• He expanded help for public housing that supports the elderly and families with children.
• He introduced free welfare services and equipment for people with disabilities who had low incomes.

Campaign Funding Questions

In December 2009, there were questions about Hatoyama's campaign funding. It was found that he received money that was not properly reported. Most of this money came from his wealthy mother. This raised questions about his honesty and showed his privileged background. However, prosecutors decided not to charge him, saying there wasn't enough proof of criminal activity.

Government Spending Review

In December, the DPJ created a team to look at government spending. They promised to cut about $32.8 billion. However, the team only managed to cut a quarter of that amount. Hatoyama also had to go back on a promise to cut road taxes, including a gasoline tax. Some people in his own party criticized him for this.

Foreign Policy Goals

Hatoyama with Dmitry Medvedev in 2009.

Hatoyama with Herman Van Rompuy and José Manuel Barroso in 2010.

Hatoyama with Hillary Clinton in 2010.

Hatoyama wanted to change Japan's foreign policy. He aimed to focus more on Asia rather than just on America. He also wanted to make foreign policy decisions with the U.S. more open and clear. Many people felt that Japan's foreign policy was decided secretly by a few powerful people.

The DPJ's election plan suggested looking closely at Japan's relationship with the United States. Hatoyama called for a "close and equal" relationship with the U.S. This meant Japan would have more independence in its role.

Hatoyama ended an eight-year mission to refuel ships in Afghanistan. This was a big step because many felt this mission went against Japan's peaceful Constitution. To keep good relations with Washington, Hatoyama offered $5 billion in aid for Afghanistan's rebuilding.

Hatoyama also faced the issue of moving the American Futenma Marine Corps Air Base. The U.S. wanted Hatoyama to stick to a 2006 agreement to move the base to a less crowded part of Okinawa. Some in the DPJ wanted all U.S. military bases to leave Okinawa. Hatoyama had to balance public opinion with keeping strong ties to the U.S.

To improve relations with other Asian countries, Hatoyama worked to deepen economic ties in East Asia. He suggested a free trade zone in Asia by 2020. He also proposed making Haneda airport a 24-hour hub for international flights. In January 2010, he welcomed South Korea's president, hoping for a future-focused relationship.

Relations with China also improved under Hatoyama. There were many visits between leaders from both countries. Hatoyama even arranged a meeting for Xi Jinping with Emperor Akihito.

Resignation from Office

On June 2, 2010, Hatoyama announced he was resigning as Prime Minister. He said the main reason was breaking a promise to close an American military base on Okinawa. On May 28, 2010, he had agreed with U.S. President Barack Obama to keep the base for security reasons. This deal was not popular in Japan.

He also mentioned money issues involving a top party leader, Ichirō Ozawa, who also resigned. Hatoyama was pressured to leave by members of his party. This was because his approval ratings were low before an upper house election in July 2010.

Hatoyama's Cabinet

Ministers of Hatoyama Government in 2009.

Life After Being Prime Minister

Yukio Hatoyama at the Horasis Asia Meeting in 2016.

After leaving the Prime Minister's office, Hatoyama continued to be a member of the DPJ in the Diet. When Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda wanted to raise the consumption tax, Hatoyama was one of 57 DPJ lawmakers who voted against it. His membership in the DPJ was suspended for a short time.

Hatoyama did not leave the DPJ to join other parties. He continued to fight against the tax increase and the restart of nuclear power plants. In July 2012, he spoke to protesters outside the prime minister's home. He said it was too soon to restart nuclear reactors.

Before the general election on December 16, 2012, the DPJ said it would not support candidates who disagreed with its policies. These policies included the tax hike and joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership. On November 21, Hatoyama announced he would retire from politics.

On January 9, 2013, Hatoyama apologized to the victims of Japanese war crimes in China during a visit to Nanjing. He also urged the Japanese government to recognize the disagreement between the two countries about the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands.

In March 2015, Hatoyama visited Crimea. In August 2015, he visited the Seodaemun Prison History Hall in Korea. He knelt and bowed before a memorial to Korean activists who died during Japan's rule. He expressed his sorrow for Japan's occupation of Korea.

Hatoyama practices a meditation technique called Transcendental Meditation. He gave a speech at Maharishi University of Management in May 2015 and received an honorary degree.

Hatoyama continues to share his strong opinions even after retiring from politics. He is very popular on Twitter and often comments on current events. In 2020, Hatoyama helped form the Kyowa Party but later left it in September 2022.

His son, Kiichirō, was elected to the House of Representatives in the October 2024 election. He ran as a candidate for the Democratic Party For the People.

Awards and Recognitions

Sustainable Development Leadership Award

On February 5, 2010, Hatoyama received the Sustainable Development Leadership Award at the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit. He was given this award for his efforts to address climate change. He also made climate change a main issue for his government.

Time 100 List

In 2010, Time magazine included Hatoyama in its "Time 100" list. He was ranked No. 6 among the 100 most influential people in the world. Time said Hatoyama "helped change his country from a de facto one-party state into a functional democracy." This happened because of the DPJ's victory in the 2009 general election.

See also

• Hatoyama Hall