Former Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro: Passing of a self-made Man
FUJISAKI Ichiro / President, Nakasone Peace Institute
April 22, 2020
There is the word “self-made man” in English, meaning a man who has climbed his way up. This word is popular among Americans. In elections for political offices, many candidates emphasize their humble upbringings and talk about their mothers who were part-time workers or their being the only college graduates in the family. Even President Donald Trump, son of a millionaire, seeks to project his image as a self-made man.
Former Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro was a self-made man in a somewhat difference sense. Although he started on the path of a top elite—from Tokyo Imperial University to the Ministry of the Interior—, he jumped out of it when he was still young and became a member of parliament. He mapped out his own career and raced through politics in Japan and in the world. When he was still a novice politician, Nakasone sent a letter to Supreme Commander MacArthur, urging him to end the occupation of Japan. This was an early indication of his resolve. Unlike Prime Minister Ikeda Hayato and Prime Minister Sato Eisaku, Nakasone did not enter the group known as the “Yoshida School”, comprising the disciples of Yoshida Shigeru. Likewise, he placed distance between himself and bureaucrats-turned-politicians such as the prime ministers Kishi Nobusuke, Fukuda Takeo, Miyazawa Kiichi, and Ohira Masayoshi. He instead formed connections among more grassroots politicians such as Kono Ichiro, swam his way through the rough seas of politics, collaborated with Tanaka Kakuei and finally won the prime ministership.
The prime ministers in postwar years surmounted fierce domestic oppositions and laid their life on the line to rebuild postwar Japan. Yoshida Shigeru’s San Francisco Peace Treaty, Hatoyama Ichiro’s restoration of Japan-Soviet diplomatic ties, Kishi Nobusuke’s Japan-US security treaty revision, Ikeda Hayato’s income increase, Sato Eisaku’s Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea and the return of Okinawa, Tanaka Kakuei’s restoration of diplomatic relations with China, and Fukuda Takeo’s Japan-China Peace and Friendship Treaty. I often think that these achievements would not have been realized had it not been for these prime ministers.
Nakasone was one of the last prime ministers of that caliber. From 1982 to 1987—the pinnacle of the postwar years—it was almost providential that Japan had Mr. Nakasone as the Prime Minister. Nakasone is known as someone who prepared extensively before becoming prime minister. But that was not all. After becoming prime minister, he constantly thoroughly considered strategy and tactics himself. Doing things “by chance” or “leaving things to the bureaucracy” were unknown to him. He thought through everything with deliberate and thorough care. In that sense, too, he was a “self-made man”.
It is of course logical to think that better relations with South Korea and China would be a good thing and that it would be advantageous to form a personal relationship of trust with the US President. However, Nakasone was the first Japanese prime minister who actually went ahead and did it. He constructed close friendly relations with Chun Doo-hwan, Hu Yao-bang, and Ronald Reagan. He always worked hard with meticulous care to achieve the best performance at each meeting. It is well known that, at the Williamsburg Summit, Nakasone was in the center of the group in the official memorial photograph. He was the first Japanese prime minister to stand right next to the leader of the host country. This was because he acted out his carefully thought-out plan to walk in deep conversation with President Reagan to the site of the photo opportunity.
What was really important during this summit was that Nakasone was instrumental in inducing European leaders to accept deployment in Western Europe of middle range nuclear ballistic missiles Pershing II by the United States in order to counter Soviet deployment of SS20 in Warsaw Pact countries. This was made possible thanks to the Ron-Yasu relationship.
Prime Minister Nakasone endeavored to respond to the expectations of the United States by waving the flag for increasing imports in order to ease trade frictions and, with respect to security, increasing the defense spending and making exceptions to the restrictions on arms export. Admittedly, there was an element of “personal chemistry” underpinning the Ron-Yasu relationship. However, the basic fact was that, despite criticisms at home, Prime Minister Nakasone was determined to pursue his diplomacy with the United States fully recognizing the costs that an alliance would incur. Particularly notable was the fact that the combined efforts of Reagan, Nakasone and Thatcher to build a network of missile defenses proved too much for the Soviet Union, exhausted by the Afghan war, to cope with, and thus led to the end of the Cold War. Nakasone was the first leader who achieved a position for Japan as a respected leader in the industrialized democracies.
Mikuriya Takashi, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, called Nakasone “a man without pretense.” I agree with this assessment. He was also never bashful. He provided the TV cameras with a wealth of opportunities to film him: doing weekly zen meditation, swimming, or blowing a conch shell at Hinode Sanso mountain villa with the Reagans. He read Kant, sang French chansons, knew the Chinese classics, composed haiku, was good at calligraphy, and could paint. He did not hide these various talents and instead used them to express himself to others. Although he received cynical comments from time to time, he did not care. These efforts paid off as he was welcomed as a cultivated individual by foreign leaders who had the image that Japanese politicians were always talking only about their work.
There were four wise men in Asia whom the scholars and politicians of Europe and the US wanted to meet even after retiring: Deng Xiaoping of China, Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, Mahathir bin Mohamad of Malaysia, and Nakasone Yasuhiro. They were wise men who satisfied three conditions: Each left a legacy of long-term stability in his country, each had a philosophy that was communicated to younger generations, and each of them lived long lives.
Let me offer my sincere prayer that the self-made man who thought through everything with deliberate and thorough care may rest in peace.
Fujisaki Ichiro is former Ambassador to the United States.
Former Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro was a self-made man in a somewhat difference sense. Although he started on the path of a top elite—from Tokyo Imperial University to the Ministry of the Interior—, he jumped out of it when he was still young and became a member of parliament. He mapped out his own career and raced through politics in Japan and in the world. When he was still a novice politician, Nakasone sent a letter to Supreme Commander MacArthur, urging him to end the occupation of Japan. This was an early indication of his resolve. Unlike Prime Minister Ikeda Hayato and Prime Minister Sato Eisaku, Nakasone did not enter the group known as the “Yoshida School”, comprising the disciples of Yoshida Shigeru. Likewise, he placed distance between himself and bureaucrats-turned-politicians such as the prime ministers Kishi Nobusuke, Fukuda Takeo, Miyazawa Kiichi, and Ohira Masayoshi. He instead formed connections among more grassroots politicians such as Kono Ichiro, swam his way through the rough seas of politics, collaborated with Tanaka Kakuei and finally won the prime ministership.
The prime ministers in postwar years surmounted fierce domestic oppositions and laid their life on the line to rebuild postwar Japan. Yoshida Shigeru’s San Francisco Peace Treaty, Hatoyama Ichiro’s restoration of Japan-Soviet diplomatic ties, Kishi Nobusuke’s Japan-US security treaty revision, Ikeda Hayato’s income increase, Sato Eisaku’s Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea and the return of Okinawa, Tanaka Kakuei’s restoration of diplomatic relations with China, and Fukuda Takeo’s Japan-China Peace and Friendship Treaty. I often think that these achievements would not have been realized had it not been for these prime ministers.
Nakasone was one of the last prime ministers of that caliber. From 1982 to 1987—the pinnacle of the postwar years—it was almost providential that Japan had Mr. Nakasone as the Prime Minister. Nakasone is known as someone who prepared extensively before becoming prime minister. But that was not all. After becoming prime minister, he constantly thoroughly considered strategy and tactics himself. Doing things “by chance” or “leaving things to the bureaucracy” were unknown to him. He thought through everything with deliberate and thorough care. In that sense, too, he was a “self-made man”.
It is of course logical to think that better relations with South Korea and China would be a good thing and that it would be advantageous to form a personal relationship of trust with the US President. However, Nakasone was the first Japanese prime minister who actually went ahead and did it. He constructed close friendly relations with Chun Doo-hwan, Hu Yao-bang, and Ronald Reagan. He always worked hard with meticulous care to achieve the best performance at each meeting. It is well known that, at the Williamsburg Summit, Nakasone was in the center of the group in the official memorial photograph. He was the first Japanese prime minister to stand right next to the leader of the host country. This was because he acted out his carefully thought-out plan to walk in deep conversation with President Reagan to the site of the photo opportunity.
What was really important during this summit was that Nakasone was instrumental in inducing European leaders to accept deployment in Western Europe of middle range nuclear ballistic missiles Pershing II by the United States in order to counter Soviet deployment of SS20 in Warsaw Pact countries. This was made possible thanks to the Ron-Yasu relationship.
Prime Minister Nakasone endeavored to respond to the expectations of the United States by waving the flag for increasing imports in order to ease trade frictions and, with respect to security, increasing the defense spending and making exceptions to the restrictions on arms export. Admittedly, there was an element of “personal chemistry” underpinning the Ron-Yasu relationship. However, the basic fact was that, despite criticisms at home, Prime Minister Nakasone was determined to pursue his diplomacy with the United States fully recognizing the costs that an alliance would incur. Particularly notable was the fact that the combined efforts of Reagan, Nakasone and Thatcher to build a network of missile defenses proved too much for the Soviet Union, exhausted by the Afghan war, to cope with, and thus led to the end of the Cold War. Nakasone was the first leader who achieved a position for Japan as a respected leader in the industrialized democracies.
Mikuriya Takashi, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, called Nakasone “a man without pretense.” I agree with this assessment. He was also never bashful. He provided the TV cameras with a wealth of opportunities to film him: doing weekly zen meditation, swimming, or blowing a conch shell at Hinode Sanso mountain villa with the Reagans. He read Kant, sang French chansons, knew the Chinese classics, composed haiku, was good at calligraphy, and could paint. He did not hide these various talents and instead used them to express himself to others. Although he received cynical comments from time to time, he did not care. These efforts paid off as he was welcomed as a cultivated individual by foreign leaders who had the image that Japanese politicians were always talking only about their work.
There were four wise men in Asia whom the scholars and politicians of Europe and the US wanted to meet even after retiring: Deng Xiaoping of China, Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, Mahathir bin Mohamad of Malaysia, and Nakasone Yasuhiro. They were wise men who satisfied three conditions: Each left a legacy of long-term stability in his country, each had a philosophy that was communicated to younger generations, and each of them lived long lives.
Let me offer my sincere prayer that the self-made man who thought through everything with deliberate and thorough care may rest in peace.
Fujisaki Ichiro is former Ambassador to the United States.
The English-Speaking Union of Japan
中曽根康弘元総理 －セルフメイドマンの逝去
藤崎 一郎 / 中曽根平和研究所理事長
2020年 4月 22日
英語にセルフメイドマンという言葉がある。たたき上げという意味である。アメリカの国民にはこの言葉は受けがよく、選挙では候補者の多くが母親がパートだったとか、自分は一族で最初に大学に行ったとかを強調する。富豪の子息だったトランプ大統領も自分はセルフメイドマンだと印象づけようとする。
中曽根康弘元総理（以下すべて敬称肩書き略）はちょっと違った意味でセルフメイドマンであった。東京帝大から内務省というエリートコースを歩んだが、若くして飛び出し、代議士になった。自分で道を描き、日本および世界の政治を駆け抜けて行った。まだ駆け出しのときマッカサー司令官に占領を終わらせる時期であるという書簡を送ったのはその端緒である。池田や佐藤のように「吉田学校」にも入らず、岸や福田や宮沢や大平など他の官僚出身者とも距離を置いた。河野など党人派と近く、政界の荒波を泳ぎ抜いて、田中と協力の上、ついに総理の座を射止めた。
戦後の各総理は国内の激しい反対を乗り越えていわば体を張って戦後日本をつくってきた。吉田のサンフランシスコ講和、鳩山の日ソ国交回復、岸の安保改定、池田の所得倍増、佐藤の日韓基本条約、沖縄返還、田中の日中国交回復、福田の日中平和条約。あの時あの総理がいなければ出来なかったと思われることが多い。
中曽根はその最後の一人である。日本が戦後の絶頂期の１９８２年から８７年まで中曽根が総理だったのは日本にとって天の配剤だった。中曽根は総理になろうとずっと準備してきた人物であることは知られている。それだけでなく総理になっても常に戦略戦術を考え抜いていた。たまたまとか役所まかせということはなく、すべてみずから読みに読んだ結果である。その意味でもセルフメイドマンであった。
先ず韓国そして中国といい関係をつくりその上で米国大統領と個人的信頼関係をつくることが大事だというのは理屈では当然だ。しかしそれを本当に実践したのが中曽根である。全斗煥、胡耀邦、レーガンのすべてと肝胆合い照らす仲になった。一々の会合にもけっして手抜きせず最善を尽くした。ウイリアムズバーグサミットで日本総理として初めて真ん中の主催国首脳の脇に立ったことは有名だ。これも考え抜いてレーガンと話しこみながら撮影場面に歩いて行った結果である。それまでの日本の総理であればとても出来ず、また、しようともしなかった。
同サミットで本当に大事だったのは、ワルシャワ条約諸国へのソ連のSS20ミサイル配備に対抗するために米国の西ヨーロッパへの中距離ミサイルPershing II配備を欧州の首脳に受け入れさせるべく中曽根総理が重要な役割を果たしたことである。これはロンヤスの関係があったからこそ出来た。
中曽根総理は、貿易摩擦緩和のため輸入拡大の旗振り役をし、安全保障面では防衛費を増額し、武器輸出制限の例外をつくるなど米国の期待に応える努力をした。ロンヤス関係の背景には個人的ないわゆるケミストリーもあった。しかし基本は中曽根総理が国内での批判にもかかわらず、同盟にはコストがかかることを意識した対米外交を進めたことにある。特筆すべきはレーガン、中曽根、サッチャーの連携でミサイル防衛網が進められようとしたことにアフガン戦争で疲弊したソ連が対応できなくなり、冷戦終結につながったことである。日本を西側の一員に本当に位置づけたのは中曽根の功績である。
御厨東大名誉教授が「てらいのない人」と評したがその通りである。テレビでの外国産品購入のよびかけ、座禅、水泳、日の出山荘でのほら貝などカメラ機会を提供し続けた。カントを読み、シャンソンを歌い、中国の古典にも通じ、俳句をひねり、書を能くし、絵筆もとった。このような幅広い教養を隠さず、今日的表現で言えば発信し続けた。欧州の首脳から仕事の話だけしかしない一般の日本の政治家とは一味違うという親しみを持たれた由縁と思われる。これも一部に批判があってもその方が得策との判断があったからだったと思われる。すべて読みの上だったと思われる。
欧米の学者や政治家がアジアで会うことを希望していた賢人政治家がアジアには四人いたと思う。鄧小平、リーカンユー、マハティールそれに中曽根である。三つの条件を抑えた賢人である。すなわち国内を長く安定的に治め、後進に伝える哲学を持ち、そして長寿の人である。
読みに読んで考え抜いて実践したセルフメイドマンのご冥福を心から祈る。
筆者は元駐米大使。本稿は三田評論２０２０年２月号に掲載された。
中曽根康弘元総理（以下すべて敬称肩書き略）はちょっと違った意味でセルフメイドマンであった。東京帝大から内務省というエリートコースを歩んだが、若くして飛び出し、代議士になった。自分で道を描き、日本および世界の政治を駆け抜けて行った。まだ駆け出しのときマッカサー司令官に占領を終わらせる時期であるという書簡を送ったのはその端緒である。池田や佐藤のように「吉田学校」にも入らず、岸や福田や宮沢や大平など他の官僚出身者とも距離を置いた。河野など党人派と近く、政界の荒波を泳ぎ抜いて、田中と協力の上、ついに総理の座を射止めた。
戦後の各総理は国内の激しい反対を乗り越えていわば体を張って戦後日本をつくってきた。吉田のサンフランシスコ講和、鳩山の日ソ国交回復、岸の安保改定、池田の所得倍増、佐藤の日韓基本条約、沖縄返還、田中の日中国交回復、福田の日中平和条約。あの時あの総理がいなければ出来なかったと思われることが多い。
中曽根はその最後の一人である。日本が戦後の絶頂期の１９８２年から８７年まで中曽根が総理だったのは日本にとって天の配剤だった。中曽根は総理になろうとずっと準備してきた人物であることは知られている。それだけでなく総理になっても常に戦略戦術を考え抜いていた。たまたまとか役所まかせということはなく、すべてみずから読みに読んだ結果である。その意味でもセルフメイドマンであった。
先ず韓国そして中国といい関係をつくりその上で米国大統領と個人的信頼関係をつくることが大事だというのは理屈では当然だ。しかしそれを本当に実践したのが中曽根である。全斗煥、胡耀邦、レーガンのすべてと肝胆合い照らす仲になった。一々の会合にもけっして手抜きせず最善を尽くした。ウイリアムズバーグサミットで日本総理として初めて真ん中の主催国首脳の脇に立ったことは有名だ。これも考え抜いてレーガンと話しこみながら撮影場面に歩いて行った結果である。それまでの日本の総理であればとても出来ず、また、しようともしなかった。
同サミットで本当に大事だったのは、ワルシャワ条約諸国へのソ連のSS20ミサイル配備に対抗するために米国の西ヨーロッパへの中距離ミサイルPershing II配備を欧州の首脳に受け入れさせるべく中曽根総理が重要な役割を果たしたことである。これはロンヤスの関係があったからこそ出来た。
中曽根総理は、貿易摩擦緩和のため輸入拡大の旗振り役をし、安全保障面では防衛費を増額し、武器輸出制限の例外をつくるなど米国の期待に応える努力をした。ロンヤス関係の背景には個人的ないわゆるケミストリーもあった。しかし基本は中曽根総理が国内での批判にもかかわらず、同盟にはコストがかかることを意識した対米外交を進めたことにある。特筆すべきはレーガン、中曽根、サッチャーの連携でミサイル防衛網が進められようとしたことにアフガン戦争で疲弊したソ連が対応できなくなり、冷戦終結につながったことである。日本を西側の一員に本当に位置づけたのは中曽根の功績である。
御厨東大名誉教授が「てらいのない人」と評したがその通りである。テレビでの外国産品購入のよびかけ、座禅、水泳、日の出山荘でのほら貝などカメラ機会を提供し続けた。カントを読み、シャンソンを歌い、中国の古典にも通じ、俳句をひねり、書を能くし、絵筆もとった。このような幅広い教養を隠さず、今日的表現で言えば発信し続けた。欧州の首脳から仕事の話だけしかしない一般の日本の政治家とは一味違うという親しみを持たれた由縁と思われる。これも一部に批判があってもその方が得策との判断があったからだったと思われる。すべて読みの上だったと思われる。
欧米の学者や政治家がアジアで会うことを希望していた賢人政治家がアジアには四人いたと思う。鄧小平、リーカンユー、マハティールそれに中曽根である。三つの条件を抑えた賢人である。すなわち国内を長く安定的に治め、後進に伝える哲学を持ち、そして長寿の人である。
読みに読んで考え抜いて実践したセルフメイドマンのご冥福を心から祈る。
筆者は元駐米大使。本稿は三田評論２０２０年２月号に掲載された。
一般社団法人 日本英語交流連盟