New Book on the Life of a Showa Era Giant to be Released on July 2 Kakuei Tanaka: Portrait of a Showa Era Political Genius

Toho Shobo Co. (Head office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Takashi Kagamibuchi) will release on July 2, 2025 (Wednesday), "Kakuei Tanaka Tsunae: Portrait of a Genius Politician of the Showa Era," a life story tracing the successes and setbacks of Kakuei Tanaka, a man who pushed the Showa era forward, by an author who has published over 500 volumes of reportage. Eiji Oshita, price: 2,200 yen (tax included)).

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His glorious rise to the prime minister's chair, his subsequent trial as a defendant after various allegations were made against him, and his reign in Nagata-cho as the "Dark Shogun," where he sought to regain power, were followed by his independence from Takeshita Noboru, Kanemaru Makoto, and others and his fall into illness in a fit of disappointment. His life still attracts many Japanese people.

Tanaka, who was accused in the Lockheed affair and criticized by the mass media as a money politician, has been called the "Hideyoshi Toyotomi of the Showa period" and "Ima Taikoh," and has been loved as a prime minister from a commoner's background. He was loved as a vizier from a commoner's family. (Omission) Why do people still love him?

Why are people still interested in the life of Kakuei Tanaka?

In a sense, I think it is because the Showa period in which Kakuei Tanaka was active has long since passed into history in people's memories. (From the "Afterword" of this book)

Shigeru Ishiba revered Kakuei Tanaka as a "magician," Masayoshi Ohira called him a "spiritualist," and Shintaro Ishihara praised him as a "genius.

Why is Kakuei Tanaka so important? This is a chronicle of the successes and setbacks of the last politician called "Oyaji-san" who pushed the Showa era forward.

Outline of "Kakuei Tanaka: Portrait of a Genius Politician of the Showa Era

Format: 46 pp.

Number of pages: 497

Price: 2,200 yen (including tax) 2,000 yen + tax

Author ：Eiji Oshita

＜Table of Contents

Prologue: Kakuei Tanaka, the Unforgettable Kakuei Tanaka

The impression that "this man is not a human being" / His political method is "add two and divide one by two", which is derived from "harmony is precious" / The organized few dominate the unorganized masses / He has it all: affection, information, money, and personal connections / He enacted 33 pieces of legislation in the Diet / "If a genius like him were back in power as a politician and still alive, he would be a great leader of the Japanese people". If only he were still alive. ......"

Chapter 1: On the Eve of Becoming a Politician: Moving to Tokyo, Independence, Marriage, Conscription, and Illness

A shy, bullied child overcomes his stutter at a school arts and crafts festival / A well-crafted speech at his graduation ceremony / The first real labor in his life "Hijikata is the biggest artist" / He gives up his job as a calligrapher to live and work in Tokyo / An encounter in which he felt he was connected to someone from a previous life / "I will burn ten times harder than others" as he stands on his own feet / Enlistment in the military, hospitalization, and the death of his sister / Marriage and three vows, taking over his business and starting his own company / Going to Korea for a large-scale construction project but returning home after the defeat in the war / "Let's take control of the construction industry in Japan!

Chapter 2 Stumbles and Leaps After Entering Politics: Losing the Election, Winning the Election, Arrest, Running for Office in Prison, and Joining the Cabinet for the First Time

Connections with politicians / Persuaded to run in the general election for the House of Representatives "Cry of Young Blood" / Encounter with people who would become executives of the Koshiyama-kai, but failed to win the election / "Failure is for the next success," and won the election on his second run / One word that canceled Shigeru Yoshida's retirement as president / Arrested in the coal mine national pipe scandal, but ran for re-election in prison / The original model for the "Koshiyama-kai / He became Minister of Posts and Telecommunications at the age of 39 and promoted the approval of television stations / He set his sights on the post of secretary-general and cultivated sympathizers in other factions.

Chapter 3: Chairman of the Policy Research Council, Minister of Finance, and Secretary-General

As chairman of the policy research committee, he crosses paths with the Japan Medical Association: "A man with a fine line between paper and madness" / Appointed Minister of Finance: "I, Kakuei Tanaka, bear all responsibility" / Appointed secretary-general / Takesuo Fukuda, who had followed an elite course, shows his fighting spirit / Saves the day as chief cabinet secretary / Announces the "Outline of Urban Policy" / Again assumes the post of secretary-general / Again becomes secretary-general Ichiro Ozawa's first election / Seventeen "first-year soldiers of the Tanaka faction

Chapter 4 The Road to Prime Minister: The Kakufuku War, Japan-U.S. Meeting, "The Theory of the Remaking of the Japanese Islands," and the Launch of the Tanaka Faction

Prelude to the Kakufuku War / Government can only be won by force! / House of Councillors reforms to cut off Shigemune's kingdom / Appointment as Minister of International Trade and Industry finally comes to a critical point / Leader's method of training his subordinates / Demon Japan-US textile negotiations / "Not just a man of ordinary means" to gain agreement through a two-pronged strategy / Passion for national land development becoming flesh and blood / Rushing to publish national land development policy in time for the presidential election / An attentive man / The Sato-Nixon talks / The Sato-Nixon talks / The Sato-Nixon talks / The Sato-Nixon talks / The Sato-Nixon talks / The great political drama that unfolded at the Sato/Nixon meeting / Selling himself to President Nixon / Submission of "The Theory of the Remaking of the Japanese Islands" / Publication at the right time / Launch of the Tanaka Faction / "Ohira and Tanaka will be one until death" - an alliance with the Ohira Faction / The inseparable relationship between Osano and Sato / The Miki Faction joined the three factions The three factions cooperated with each other; Sato announced his retirement; Nakasone's hidden gem, the Nakasone faction, was elected president; "few ......" failed to read the presidential election; A young, hard-working prime minister was elected by a deciding vote.

Chapter 5 Politics as "Ima-Taiko": Normalization of Japan-China Diplomatic Relations, the Soviet-Japanese Joint Declaration, and the Oil Shock

Establishment of the Tanaka Cabinet and the Medal of Friendship / Normalization of Japan-China diplomatic relations was "a very high-level political decision" / Summit meeting with Zhou Enlai / Unexpected "About the Senkaku Islands ......" / Meeting with Mao Zedong "Have you finished fighting yet? The Soviet-Japanese joint statement that forced the recognition of the Northern Territories issue / The outbreak of the Fourth Middle East War and the "oil shock" / Ichiro Ozawa's marriage / To the irritation of the "Queen of Koshiyama-kai," he said, "I will take you on a world trip as promised" / His admonition was right on target: "There is no way out" / The "gold vein problem" became an international topic / His resignation was announced: "I will be a great leader who will beat the earth with his mighty strength. A peering thought: "I am listening intently to the torrential rain beating down upon the land" / At the five-party meeting, "A bolt from the blue!

Chapter 6 The Lockheed Affair and the Birth of the Kingmaker: Arrests, Criticism, and the Death of a Friend

The Lockheed Incident" revealed / "Kakuei Tanaka is arrested" / The extraordinary Diet session convened with a promise not to dissolve the Diet / The Lockheed election and Ichiro Ozawa's resolve / As usual, he won the top position / Fear of Tanaka by the Tanaka faction / "I want to stay with my father at least one more time" / "Daikaku Rengo" to overthrow Fukuda and retain Ohira / The unity of the Tanaka faction's army of secretaries / Goto: The Tanaka faction's army of secretaries / The "Daikaku Rengo" to overthrow Fukuda and retain Ohira The "Okaku Rengo" (LDP alliance), which overthrew Fukuda and retained Ohira / The unity of the Tanaka faction's army of secretaries / The first defeat of an incumbent LDP president in a presidential election due to the success of Masaharu Goto / Tanaka's convex and Ohira's concave "alliance beyond friendship" / The "Forty-Day War" and criticism of Fukuda / Death of PM Ohira, a close ally of Tanaka's

Chapter 7 Factional Control in Hopes of Restoration: Generational Change, Prison Sentences, and the Highest Vote

Kanemaru's growth and the "theory of generational change"/Yoshiyuki Suzuki was retained/ Resumed open activities in the "Thursday Club"/ Methods to prevent his successor, who threatened his own position of power, from growing and catching up with him/ "It's a change in direction," he said. I will not carry Takeshita," "I will not retire until I am 70 years old," "My father will never nominate a candidate for president from our village," "If Nakasone is prime minister, the generational shift will not proceed," "Tanaka Sone's cabinet" is formed," "Deep trust with Jiro Ishiba," "Leading Shigeru Ishiba into politics," "Helping in factional elections is an invaluable asset," and "I will not be replaced by anyone. / A big resonance box that can instantly resonate with any person / "As long as I live, I will carry out my responsibilities as a member of the Diet" / Entering the "Tanaka judgment election" / "This is the conclusion of public opinion. This is the best day of my life!" / The end of Kodama Honorshio and Osano Kenji / Ishiba Shigeru's first election

Chapter 8 Betrayal and Anger: The Launching of the Soseikai, the Dismantling of the Faction, and the Sake Binge

Will we carry another faction's palanquin again?"/"Without any future prospects, the faction will not endure"/The 14 members' determination / Soseikai and their plans to realize the Takeshita Cabinet / The die has already been cast / "Takeshita-kun is on the palanquin" / Recruiting Soseikai members / The fight to eat or be eaten / Losing one's cool, like a firestorm Anger: "We will go in concentric circles," "My father may have been overconfident," the Kanemaru siege, "We will go in concentric circles," "He has a fragile mentality and is a drunkard," and "What's happening on the ground, that's what's happening on the ground. There's nothing that can't be managed" / "Hatred of Takeshita" and Haneda's strange uneasiness

Chapter 9 The End of the Yakushogun's Rule: Stroke, Right Wing Groups, Gangsters, and Death

Stroke and the end of Tanaka's rule / Rehabilitation plan for a decapitated friend / Confusion within the Tanaka faction and postponement of Soseikai meeting / Right-wing group "praises" Takeshita's presidential candidacy / Request for arbitration from a gang leader / Takeshita's visit to Mejiro and Nakasone's ruling / "My father is dead..." / "My father is dead..." / "My father is dead..." / "The death of a gangster... ." / Sadness of the Koshiyama-kai queen / "If it was Tanaka no Kaku-san, he would do it more skillfully..." / "If it was Tanaka no Kaku-san, he would do it more skillfully! Funeral service with long lines of people waiting in line / The last politician called "Oyaji-san" who possessed charisma and leadership / The death of "Mama

Epilogue: Kakuei Tanaka's Gene Continues to Play an Active Role in Today's Political World

Shintaro Ishihara's change in evaluation of Kakuei / "Kakuei Tanaka would have come up with the idea in a flash and done it" / "The secretary-general is behind the scenes; the supreme secretary-general is Kakuei Tanaka" / Toshihiro Nikai breaks record for days in office as secretary-general / Shigeru Ishiba explains importance of decentralization and regional development / Kakuei Tanaka's genes

Afterword

Chronology

Review of Kakuei Tanaka

Author's Profile

Author's portrait

Author： Eiji Oshita

Born in Hiroshima Prefecture on June 7, 1944, Eiji Oshita graduated from Hiroshima University in March 1968 with a degree in French literature, and became a reporter for the weekly Bunshun in 1970. While a reporter, he published "Novel Dentsu" (Tokuma Bunko) and made his debut as a writer. In 1983, he left the Weekly Bunshun and became an independent writer. Since then, he has continued to write in a wide range of genres, from politics and economics to entertainment, crime, and social issues.

He is the author of "13 Judas: Mitsukoshi, Otoko-tachi no Yabo to Kairaku" and "Misora Hibari: Jidai wo Utau" (both published by Shinchosha), as well as "Toryo! Kakuei Gakko" (Kodansha) and more than 500 other books.

His recent books include "Koizumi Junichiro and Abe Shinzo: Long-term Government of Super Charisma," "Isao Nakauchi of Daiei and Hirotake Yano of Daiso: Standard-bearers of the Distribution Revolution," "'Seiken wo Takarakatta' Ozawa Ichiro: Sankai no Chosen Chosen" (above, Toho Shobo), "Shukan Bunshun Top Ya Soul" (Seidansha Publico), "Ninkyo Eiga Densetsu Takakura Ken and Tsuruta Koji (First and Second)" "LDP Dairan (Sakura-sha), Noboru Ando: Chivalry and Bullets: The Complete Life of Noboru Ando (Takarajimasya), and Sanae Takaichi: Aikoku to Rock (Asuka Shinsha).

Published by: Toho Shobo Company Profile

(1) Company name: TOHOSHOBO Corporation (https://tohoshobo.info/)

　 English name: TOHOSHOBO INC.

(2) Representative: Takashi Kagamibuchi, Representative Director

(3) Head office: 4-2-20 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

(4)Main business: Publishing of business books

(5)Capital ：35 million yen