Japanese Right-Wing Commentator Okamoto Yukio, Former Prime Minister's Advisor, Dies from COVID-19

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Yukio Okamoto, a former chief cabinet secretary and well-known diplomatic commentator in Japan, died while receiving treatment after contracting the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Okamoto was known as a leading Japanese right-wing commentator who repeatedly made controversial remarks denying the issue of Japanese military comfort women victims. In Japan, as the cumulative death toll from COVID-19 surpassed 600, deaths of prominent figures have also been occurring one after another.

On the 8th, Kyodo News reported that Okamoto died on the 24th of last month while undergoing treatment for COVID-19. The delay in announcing his death was reportedly due to the family’s reluctance to disclose the information. Okamoto served as the head of the North America Division 1 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was chief cabinet secretary under the Hashimoto Ryutaro Cabinet from 1996 to 1998, and later under the Koizumi Junichiro Cabinet from 2003 to 2004.

After leaving public office, he was active as a leading right-wing commentator and diplomatic analyst in Japan, and in 2015, he also participated in the "21st Century Vision Roundtable," known as a private advisory body to Prime Minister Abe Shinzo. In an interview with the media last year, he claimed that "the sex slave system asserted by Korea did not exist," denying historical facts based on right-wing views, which sparked controversy.

Meanwhile, in Japan, the cumulative death toll reached 603 as of the 7th and continues to rise, with cases of prominent figures dying also increasing. Earlier, the famous Japanese comedian Shimura Ken died of COVID-19 on March 29, followed by actress Okae Kumiko, who died from COVID-19 infection on the 23rd of last month.