List of Japanese prime ministers by longevity

Last updated
Living as of 5 October 2021
Prime MinisterDate of birthPrime Minister
Tomiichi Murayama 3 March 1924 (age 97)1994–1996
Toshiki Kaifu 2 January 1931 (age 90)1989–1991
Yasuo Fukuda 16 July 1936 (age 85)2007–2008
Yoshirō Mori 14 July 1937 (age 84)2000–2001
Morihiro Hosokawa 14 January 1938 (age 83)1993–1994
Tarō Asō 20 September 1940 (age 81)2008–2009
Junichiro Koizumi 8 January 1942 (age 79)2001–2006
Naoto Kan 10 October 1946 (age 74)2010–2011
Yukio Hatoyama 11 February 1947 (age 74)2009–2010
Yoshihide Suga 6 December 1948 (age 72)2020–2021
Shinzo Abe 21 September 1954 (age 67)2006–2007, 2012–2020
Yoshihiko Noda 20 May 1957 (age 64)2011–2012

This is a list of Japanese prime ministers by longevity. It consists of prime ministers and interim prime ministers of Japan who have held the office. If a prime minister served more than one non-consecutive term, the dates given are for the beginning of their first term, and the end of their last term.

Contents

To avoid confusion and maintain consistency, the name of the prime ministers are listed in the Western style (given name, family name). Where the person in question is still living, the longevity is calculated up to 5 October 2021.

Overview

The median age of a Prime Minister first taking office is roughly 61 years and 123 days. This falls between Katō Tomosaburō and Hara Takashi. The youngest Prime Minister was the first, Hirobumi Itō, who took office at the age of 44 years, 67 days. The oldest Prime Minister to first take office was Kantarō Suzuki, who became Prime Minister at the age of 77 years, 79 days.

The oldest living Prime Minister is Tomiichi Murayama, born 3 March 1924 (age 97 years, 216 days). The youngest living former Prime Minister is Yoshihiko Noda, born 20 May 1957 (age 64 years, 138 days).

The longest-lived Prime Minister was Naruhiko Higashikuni, who died at the age of 102 years, 48 days. If the oldest living Prime Minister, Murayama, lives to 20 April 2026, he will tie this record. The shortest-lived Prime Minister was Sanetomi Sanjō, who died at the age of 53 years and 352 days.

The Prime Minister with the longest retirement is Naruhiko Higashikuni. He left office on 9 October 1945, and died 44 years and 103 days later on 20 January 1990. The Prime Minister with the shortest retirement is Keizō Obuchi, who died on 14 May 2000, 39 days after leaving office on 5 April 2000.

Longevity of Japanese prime ministers

There are 9 prime ministers of Japan who lived beyond the age of 90:

Nonagenarian and centenarian prime ministers

List of prime ministers

  Dead
  Living
  Incumbent
#
Prime Minister
Date of birth
Start date of first termAge at
start date
End date of final termAge at
end date
Length of
retirement
Date of death
Lifespan
1 Itō Hirobumi 16 October 184122 December 188544 years, 67 days10 May 190159 years, 206 days8 years, 169 days26 October 190968 years, 10 days
2 Kuroda Kiyotaka 9 November 184030 April 188847 years, 173 days18 September 189655 years, 314 days3 years, 339 days23 August 190059 years, 287 days
3 Sanjō Sanetomi 13 March 183725 October 188952 years, 226 days24 December 188952 years, 286 days1 year, 56 days18 February 189153 years, 342 days
4 Yamagata Aritomo 14 June 183824 December 188951 years, 193 days19 October 190062 years, 127 days21 years, 105 days1 February 192283 years, 232 days
5 Matsukata Masayoshi 25 February 18356 May 189156 years, 70 days12 January 189862 years, 321 days26 years, 172 days2 July 192489 years, 128 days
6 Ōkuma Shigenobu 11 March 183830 June 189860 years, 111 days9 October 191678 years, 212 days5 years, 93 days10 January 192283 years, 305 days
7 Saionji Kinmochi 7 December 184910 May 190151 years, 154 days21 December 191263 years, 14 days27 years, 339 days24 November 194090 years, 353 days
8 Katsura Tarō 4 January 18482 June 190153 years, 149 days20 February 191365 years, 47 days232 days10 October 191365 years, 279 days
9 Yamamoto Gonnohyōe 26 November 185220 February 191360 years, 86 days7 January 192471 years, 42 days9 years, 335 days8 December 193381 years, 12 days
10 Terauchi Masatake 5 February 18529 October 191664 years, 247 days29 September 191866 years, 236 days1 year, 35 days3 November 191967 years, 271 days
11 Hara Takashi 15 March 185629 September 191862 years, 198 days4 November 1921 [1] 65 years, 234 days4 November 192165 years, 234 days
12 Uchida Kōsai 17 November 18654 November 192155 years, 352 days2 September 192357 years, 289 days12 years, 192 days12 March 193670 years, 116 days
13 Takahashi Korekiyo 27 July 185413 November 192167 years, 109 days26 May 193277 years, 304 days3 years, 276 days26 February 193681 years, 214 days
14 Katō Tomosaburō 22 February 186116 June 192261 years, 114 days24 August 1923 [1] 62 years, 183 days24 August 192362 years, 183 days
15 Kiyoura Keigo 27 March 18507 January 192473 years, 286 days11 June 192474 years, 76 days18 years, 147 days5 November 194292 years, 223 days
16 Katō Takaaki 3 January 186011 June 192464 years, 160 days28 January 1926 [1] 66 years, 25 days28 January 192666 years, 25 days
17 Wakatsuki Reijirō 21 March 186628 January 192659 years, 313 days13 December 193165 years, 267 days17 years, 342 days20 November 194983 years, 244 days
18 Tanaka Giichi 22 June 186420 April 192762 years, 302 days2 July 192965 years, 10 days89 days29 September 192965 years, 99 days
19 Osachi Hamaguchi 1 April 18702 July 192959 years, 92 days14 April 193161 years, 13 days134 days26 August 193161 years, 147 days
20 Kijūrō Shidehara 13 September 187214 November 193058 years, 62 days22 May 194673 years, 251 days4 years, 292 days10 March 195178 years, 178 days
21 Inukai Tsuyoshi 4 June 185513 December 193176 years, 192 days15 May 1932 [1] 76 years, 346 days15 May 193276 years, 346 days
22 Saitō Makoto 27 October 185826 May 193273 years, 212 days8 July 193475 years, 254 days1 year, 233 days26 February 193677 years, 122 days
23 Keisuke Okada 20 January 18688 July 193466 years, 169 days9 March 193668 years, 49 days16 years, 212 days7 October 195284 years, 261 days
24 Kōki Hirota 14 February 18789 March 193658 years, 24 days2 February 193758 years, 354 days11 years, 325 days23 December 194870 years, 313 days
25 Senjūrō Hayashi 23 February 18762 February 193760 years, 345 days4 June 193761 years, 101 days5 years, 245 days4 February 194366 years, 346 days
26 Fumimaro Konoe 12 October 18914 June 193745 years, 235 days18 October 194150 years, 6 days4 years, 59 days16 December 194554 years, 65 days
27 Hiranuma Kiichirō 28 September 18675 January 193971 years, 99 days30 August 193971 years, 336 days12 years, 358 days22 August 195284 years, 329 days
28 Nobuyuki Abe 24 November 187530 August 193963 years, 279 days16 January 194064 years, 53 days13 years, 234 days7 September 195377 years, 287 days
29 Mitsumasa Yonai 2 March 188016 January 194059 years, 320 days22 July 194060 years, 142 days7 years, 273 days20 April 194868 years, 49 days
30 Hideki Tojo 30 December 188417 October 194156 years, 291 days22 July 194459 years, 205 days4 years, 154 days23 December 194863 years, 359 days
31 Kuniaki Koiso 22 March 188022 July 194464 years, 122 days7 April 194565 years, 16 days5 years, 210 days3 November 195070 years, 226 days
32 Kantarō Suzuki 18 January 18687 April 194577 years, 79 days17 August 194577 years, 211 days2 years, 244 days17 April 194880 years, 90 days
33 Naruhiko Higashikuni 3 December 188717 August 194557 years, 257 days9 October 194557 years, 310 days44 years, 103 days20 January 1990102 years, 48 days
34 Shigeru Yoshida 22 September 187822 May 194667 years, 242 days10 December 195476 years, 79 days12 years, 314 days20 October 196789 years, 28 days
35 Tetsu Katayama 28 July 188724 May 194759 years, 300 days10 March 194860 years, 226 days30 years, 81 days30 May 197890 years, 306 days
36 Hitoshi Ashida 15 November 188710 March 194860 years, 116 days15 October 194860 years, 335 days10 years, 248 days20 June 195971 years, 217 days
37 Ichirō Hatoyama 1 January 188310 December 195471 years, 343 days23 December 195673 years, 357 days2 years, 74 days7 March 195976 years, 65 days
38 Tanzan Ishibashi 25 September 188423 December 195672 years, 89 days31 January 195772 years, 128 days16 years, 84 days25 April 197388 years, 212 days
39 Nobusuke Kishi 13 November 189631 January 195760 years, 79 days19 July 196063 years, 249 days27 years, 19 days7 August 198790 years, 267 days
40 Hayato Ikeda 3 December 189919 July 196060 years, 229 days9 November 196464 years, 342 days277 days13 August 196565 years, 253 days
41 Eisaku Satō 27 March 19019 November 196463 years, 227 days7 July 197271 years, 102 days2 years, 331 days3 June 197574 years, 68 days
42 Kakuei Tanaka 4 May 19187 July 197254 years, 64 days9 December 197456 years, 219 days19 years, 7 days16 December 199375 years, 226 days
43 Takeo Miki 17 March 19079 December 197467 years, 267 days24 December 197669 years, 282 days11 years, 326 days14 November 198881 years, 242 days
44 Takeo Fukuda 14 January 190524 December 197671 years, 345 days7 December 197873 years, 327 days16 years, 210 days5 July 199590 years, 172 days
45 Masayoshi Ōhira 12 March 19107 December 197868 years, 270 days12 June 1980 [1] 70 years, 92 days12 June 198070 years, 92 days
46 Masayoshi Ito 15 December 191312 June 198066 years, 180 days17 July 198066 years, 215 days13 years, 308 days21 May 199480 years, 157 days
47 Zenkō Suzuki 11 January 191117 July 198069 years, 188 days27 November 198271 years, 320 days21 years, 235 days19 July 200493 years, 190 days
48 Yasuhiro Nakasone 27 May 191827 November 198264 years, 184 days6 November 198769 years, 163 days32 years, 23 days29 November 2019101 years, 186 days
49 Noboru Takeshita 26 February 19246 November 198763 years, 253 days3 June 198965 years, 97 days11 years, 16 days19 June 200076 years, 114 days
50 Sōsuke Uno 27 August 19223 June 198966 years, 280 days10 August 198966 years, 348 days8 years, 282 days19 May 199875 years, 265 days
51 Toshiki Kaifu 2 January 193110 August 198958 years, 220 days5 November 199160 years, 307 days29 years, 334 days90 years, 276 days
52 Kiichi Miyazawa 8 October 19195 November 199172 years, 28 days9 August 199373 years, 305 days13 years, 323 days28 June 200787 years, 263 days
53 Morihiro Hosokawa 14 January 19389 August 199355 years, 207 days28 April 199456 years, 104 days27 years, 160 days83 years, 264 days
54 Tsutomu Hata 24 August 193528 April 199458 years, 247 days30 June 199458 years, 310 days23 years, 59 days28 August 201782 years, 4 days
55 Tomiichi Murayama 3 March 192430 June 199470 years, 119 days11 January 199671 years, 314 days25 years, 267 days97 years, 216 days
56 Ryutaro Hashimoto 29 July 193711 January 199658 years, 166 days30 July 199861 years, 1 day7 years, 336 days1 July 200668 years, 337 days
57 Keizō Obuchi 25 June 193730 July 199861 years, 35 days5 April 200062 years, 285 days39 days14 May 200062 years, 324 days
58 Yoshirō Mori 14 July 19375 April 200062 years, 266 days26 April 200163 years, 286 days20 years, 162 days84 years, 83 days
59 Junichiro Koizumi 8 January 194226 April 200159 years, 108 days26 September 200664 years, 261 days15 years, 9 days79 years, 270 days
60 Shinzo Abe 21 September 195426 September 200652 years, 5 days16 September 202065 years, 361 days1 year, 19 days67 years, 14 days
61 Yasuo Fukuda 16 July 193626 September 200771 years, 72 days24 September 200872 years, 70 days13 years, 11 days85 years, 81 days
62 Tarō Asō 20 September 194024 September 200868 years, 4 days16 September 200968 years, 361 days12 years, 19 days81 years, 15 days
63 Yukio Hatoyama 11 February 194716 September 200962 years, 217 days10 June 201063 years, 119 days11 years, 117 days74 years, 236 days
64 Naoto Kan 10 October 194610 June 201063 years, 243 days2 September 201164 years, 327 days10 years, 33 days74 years, 360 days
65 Yoshihiko Noda 20 May 19572 September 201154 years, 105 days26 December 201255 years, 220 days8 years, 283 days64 years, 138 days
66 Yoshihide Suga 6 December 194816 September 202071 years, 285 days4 October 202172 years, 302 days1 day72 years, 303 days
67 Fumio Kishida 29 July 19574 October 202164 years, 92 daysIncumbentIncumbentIncumbent64 years, 68 days
#
Prime Minister
Date of birth
Start dateAge at
start date
End dateAge at
end date
Length of
retirement
Date of death
Lifespan

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Oldest living prime ministers of Japan

Not all prime ministers live to become the oldest of their time. Of the 54 deceased prime ministers, 18 eventually became the oldest of their time, while 36 did not (including all 5 prime ministers who died in office and 31 others). Matsukata Masayoshi became the oldest living prime minister when he was appointed in 1891 and remained so until his death in 1924, for a record 33 years and 55 days. Keisuke Okada became the oldest living prime minister after the death of Hiranuma Kiichirō, but he survived Kiichirō by only 46 days.

On three occasions the oldest living prime minister lost this distinction not by his death, but due to the appointment of a prime minister who was older. Itō Hirobumi (b. 1841) lost this distinction when Kuroda Kiyotaka (b. 1840) was appointed. Kuroda Kiyotaka lost this distinction when Sanjō Sanetomi (b. 1837) was appointed. Yamagata Aritomo (b. 1838) lost this distinction when Matsukata Masayoshi (b. 1835) was appointed.

Tomiichi Murayama was the oldest to acquire this distinction at the age of 95 years, and 217 days. Nobusuke Kishi, who was 90 years, and 297 days old when he died on 7 August 1987 is the oldest prime minister to die without ever acquiring this distinction. Tsutomu Hata, who was 82 years, and 4 days old when he died on 28 August 2017 is the most recent prime minister to die without ever acquiring this distinction.

Prime MinisterPeriod when oldest living prime ministerAgeDuration
Start dateEnd dateat startat end
Itō Hirobumi 22 December 188530 April 188844 years, 67 days46 years, 197 days2 years, 130 days
Kuroda Kiyotaka 30 April 188825 October 188947 years, 173 days48 years, 350 days1 year, 178 days
Sanjō Sanetomi 25 October 188921 February 189152 years, 226 days53 years, 345 days1 year, 119 days
Yamagata Aritomo 21 February 18918 May 189152 years, 252 days52 years, 328 days76 days
Matsukata Masayoshi 8 May 18912 July 192456 years, 72 days89 years, 128 days33 years, 55 days
Saionji Kinmochi 2 July 192424 November 194074 years, 253 days91 years, 32 days16 years, 145 days
Kiyoura Keigo 24 November 19405 November 194290 years, 242 days92 years, 223 days1 year, 346 days
Wakatsuki Reijirō 5 November 194220 November 194976 years, 229 days83 years, 244 days7 years, 15 days
Hiranuma Kiichirō 20 November 194922 August 195282 years, 53 days84 years, 329 days2 years, 276 days
Keisuke Okada 22 August 19527 October 195284 years, 215 days84 years, 261 days46 days
Nobuyuki Abe 7 October 19527 September 195376 years, 318 days77 years, 287 days335 days
Shigeru Yoshida 7 September 195320 October 196774 years, 350 days89 years, 28 days14 years, 43 days
Tanzan Ishibashi 20 October 196725 April 197383 years, 25 days88 years, 212 days5 years, 187 days
Tetsu Katayama 25 April 197330 May 197885 years, 271 days90 years, 306 days5 years, 35 days
Naruhiko Higashikuni 30 May 197820 January 199090 years, 178 days102 years, 48 days11 years, 235 days
Takeo Fukuda 20 January 19905 July 199585 years, 6 days90 years, 172 days5 years, 166 days
Zenkō Suzuki 5 July 199519 July 200484 years, 175 days93 years, 190 days9 years, 14 days
Yasuhiro Nakasone 19 July 200429 November 201986 years, 53 days101 years, 186 days15 years, 133 days
Tomiichi Murayama 29 November 2019–95 years, 271 days–1 year, 310 days
Prime MinisterStart dateEnd dateAge at startAge at endDuration

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Died in office on this date.

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References

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