Eight-Term Lawmaker Yamamoto Meets His Wife Through Politics
"I Will Support Her as a 'Stealth Husband' Who Is Not an Obstacle"
In Japan, Sanae Takaichi, 64, became the nation’s first female Prime Minister on October 21, marking the emergence of the country's first-ever "First Gentleman." That role is held by former House of Representatives member Taku Yamamoto.
Yamamoto’s legal name is Taku Takaichi. Under Japan’s system requiring married couples to share a surname, Yamamoto adopted his wife’s last name. The couple decided whose surname to use by playing rock-paper-scissors.
Japanese media have described Yamamoto as a hereditary politician from Fukui Prefecture in the central-western region of Honshu, who served eight terms as a lawmaker until 2021. He held key positions such as Vice Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Deputy Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party, and Vice Chairman of the General Affairs Committee in the first cabinet of Shinzo Abe.
Sanae Takaichi, who is nine years younger than Yamamoto, first crossed paths with him in 2003, over 20 years ago. After Takaichi lost her bid for the House of Representatives that year, her younger sibling, who had been working as her secretary, sought new employment and ended up joining Yamamoto’s office, which led to their acquaintance.
A few months later, Yamamoto proposed to Takaichi, and they married the following year. In 2004, Yamamoto called Takaichi and persuaded her by saying, "I have a chef’s license, so I’ll make sure you eat delicious food for the rest of your life." It was Takaichi’s first marriage and Yamamoto’s second. Yamamoto has one son and two daughters from his previous marriage.
On August 15, marking 80 years since Japan's defeat, Sanae Takaichi, a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, paid a visit to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo and responded to questions from the press. The Yasukuni Shrine enshrines Class A war criminals from the Pacific War. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
In a 2004 blog post announcing their marriage, Takaichi wrote that after her defeat in the 2003 House of Representatives election, Yamamoto comforted her by saying he understood how she felt, cleaned her room, and helped her staff find new jobs, which left a strong impression on her.
The couple divorced in 2017 due to political differences. During the 2012 Liberal Democratic Party leadership election, Takaichi supported former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, while Yamamoto backed former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Later, in September 2021, when Takaichi ran for the LDP presidency for the first time, Yamamoto publicly expressed support for his ex-wife. The two remarried in December of that year. They do not have children together.
Yamamoto, who is currently recovering after suffering a cerebral infarction, stated that he plans to split his time between the Prime Minister’s residence and an external accommodation. In a phone interview with Japanese media, Yamamoto said, "I am first and foremost relieved that Ms. Takaichi was designated as Prime Minister in the National Diet today," adding, "What matters most is delivering concrete results on issues of national concern, such as economic policy."
Regarding his new role as Japan’s first "First Gentleman," he said, "I don’t have any special feelings about it," but added, according to the Asahi Shimbun, "As the husband of Japan’s first female Prime Minister, I want to firmly support her as a 'stealth husband' who does not draw attention to himself, so that my presence does not become an obstacle."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
