Sōsuke Uno

Sōsuke Uno (宇野 宗佑, Uno Sōsuke, 27 August 1922 – 19 May 1998) was a Japanese politician and the 75th Prime Minister of Japan from 3 June 1989 to 10 August 1989.

Biography

He was born in Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture and attended the Kobe University of Commerce. After serving in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, he entered politics, winning election to the Diet of Japan in 1960.

Uno's main action as prime minister was to institute the country's first consumption tax, which immediately caused an uproar among many voters and led to the Japan Socialist Party's victory in the Tokyo metropolitan legislative election of 1989. Uno's government was also hurt by repercussive effects from the Recruit Scandal of 1988. Uno assumed office on 3 June 1989.

Uno eventually had to resign after less than three months amid a sex scandal revealed by a geisha. The controversy surrounding Uno's extramarital affair was more focused on irresponsibility to support the Geisha rather than immorality; Uno supposedly did not properly provide and support his mistress, at the least not with an appropriate amount, which led her to complain publicly and was branded as a stingy man. The story was not widely publicized in Japan until a Washington Post reporter picked up the story from the Mainichi Shimbun, bringing international attention to Uno.