Shintarō Ishihara (石原慎太郎 Ishihara Shintarō ), born the September 30th 1932, is a writer and man Politique Japanese. He is the current governor of the prefecture of Tōkyō.

He accepted in 1955, at the age of twenty-three years, the Prix Akutagawa, the most prestigious literary prize of Japan, for his novel the Season of the sun (太陽の季節, Taiyo No Kisetsu ). He is also president of the club of support of the Totsuka Yacht School and member of the Japanese company for the reform of the handbooks of history.

Yūjirō Ishihara (石原裕次郎), one of the most famous Japanese actors, died in 1987, was his/her younger brother. The minister Nobuteru Ishihara (石原伸晃) is his oldest son, the actor Yoshizumi Ishihara (石原良純) his second wire, and the deputy Hirotaka Ishihara his third wire. The Ishihara family is one of the families more for the Japanese policy.

Biography

• Shintaro Ishihara is born the September 9th 1932 with Kōbe (Kōbeshisumaku 神戸市須磨区) in the prefecture from Hyogo. His/her father Kiyoshi (潔), originating in the prefecture Ehime (on the island of Shikoku) worked for the transport company Yamashita Kisen (山下汽船), his mother was originating in the prefecture of Hiroshima.
• the July 17th 1934 is born his/her younger brother Yūjirō Ishihara.
• In 1937, his/her Kiyoshi father being named with the head of the subsidiary company of Hokkaido, the family leaves to settle in the town of Otaru.
• In 1944, after the nomination of his/her father to the head office, the family moves with Zushi in the Préfecture of Kanagawa.
• In 1948, it returns to the Shōnan college of the Préfecture of Kanagawa.
• In 1949, it is absent during one year of the school. It leaves in France to study the French language.
• In 1951, his/her father dies of a Brain hemorrhage.
• In 1956, it Marie with Noriko (典子), eighteen year old young girl.
• the January 23rd 1956, it receives the thirty-fourth Prix Akutagawa for its novel the Season of the Sun (太陽の季節). At twenty-three years, it becomes youngest then of the prizes winner to receive this price. The March 3rd, it is graduate in public Droit of the Université Hitotsubashi.
• the April 19th 1957 is born its first child, Nobuteru Ishihara.
• In 1958, it is engaged by the movie studio Toho to direct the film Rough Jeune (若い獣 Wakai kedamono ).
• the January 15th 1962, its second boy is born, Yoshizumi Ishihara.
• In 1965, it enters in policy and adheres to the party liberal-democrat PLD.
• In 1967, it is sent by the newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun to cover the Guerre of Vietnam.
• In 1968, under the colors of PLD it is elected with the Room of the advisers, Upper House of the Diet, with historical records of 300  000 of voice.
• In 1972, it changes electoral district and is elected with the room of the representatives (Shûgi-in), the Lower House of the Diet. He will be re-elected seven times of continuation as a deputy.
• In 1973, Shintaro Ishihara, Michio Watanabe (渡辺美智雄), Chirou Nakagawa (一郎中川), Masayuki Fujio (正行藤尾) form the political club Seirankai (青嵐会) or “Wind of mountain” with about thirty deputies (26 deputies and 5 senators) by making an oath of fidelity with their own blood. The objective of this group of young deputies PLD, out-faction, is to bring an fresh air to the Japanese policy.
• In 1975, supported by PLD, it is presented to the post of governor of Tōkyō but loses against Ryōkichi Minobe (亮吉美濃部) with 233  000 votes.
• In 1976, it is re-elected with the Room of the members of Parliament and becomes Managing director of the Agency of the Environment, under the government of Takeo Fukuda.
• In 1987, he becomes Minister for Transport under the government of Noboru Takeshita.
• the July 17th 1987, his/her brother Yūjirō dies of the continuations of a cancer, at the 52 years age.
• In 1988, it is elected president of Japan-Israel Friendship Association.
• In 1989, PLD withdraws to him its support for the profit of Shizuka Kamei.
• In 1990, with the new elections, Nobuteru Ishihara is victorious; father and wire are thus every two present at the Room of the Representatives.
• In 1995, after twenty-five years of presence to the Room of the Representatives, Ishihara announces his departure by a speech of thanks.
• In 1996, it publishes Ototo about his/her young brother Yūjirō, novel which becomes a best-seller.
• In 1999, for the second time it is presented to the post of governor of Tokyo. It gains the election with 1,6 million voice.
• In July 2000, an exposure of the early works (a hundred and twenty drawings) of Shintaro Ishihara took place with the Hillside Forum of Shibuya.
• In April 2002, a survey of the Asahi Shimbun , indicates that he is appreciated by 78% of its managed.
• In 2003, with three million voice, it is re-elected governor of Tokyo.
• In 2004, the adaptation Dorama of the novel Ototo is diffused on television.
• In 2007, Ishihara is re-elected triumphantly at the post of governor of Tokyo at the time of the election of April 8th, 2007.
• the July 28th 2007, at the time of the election senatorial, the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose popularity was with lowest, made countryside in Tokyo for its party PLD in company of popular the Ishihara governor at Tokyoïtes.

Striking facts of its artistic life

Work of youth

In July 2000, an exposure of the early works of Shintarō Ishihara took place with the Hillside Forum of Shibuya. The exposure organized by Masako Aoyama, person in charge of the Aoyama Art Consultancy gathered the American painter Frank Stella and the critic Fumio Nanjo to present the few a hundred and twenty drawings of the governor. Among works of the Ishihara young person, many evoke a universe dadaïste, where French texts point out his interest for France. According to Masako Aoyama, “Mr. Ishihara wanted to create this gallery to be used as source of inspiration to young people. ” Following this exposure, Ishihara, which continues to paint, published a collection of its works Fantasy Paintings off Shintaro Ishihara' S Teen Days . It also in particular supported the establishment of Tokyo Art Index which aims to promote the contemporary artists tokyoïtes.

The Akutagawa Price

The Price Akutagawa (芥川賞), founded in 1935 in the honor of the writer Akutagawa Ryunosuke by the publisher Bungei Shunjū (文藝春秋), is compared with the Prix Goncourt French. This price which was then largely ignored general public, became synonymous with popular success, since Ishihara sold more than 2,6 million specimens of the Season of the sun .

The worship of the tribe of the Sun

the Season of the sun was at the origin of a true social phenomenon. The history of this désœuvrée youth trotting itself on the beaches of Enoshima while carrying black glasses and shirts hawaïennes was the symbol of a whole generation of young Japanese, the Taiyozoku (太陽族), the “tribes of the sun”. After the film adaptation, Yūjirō Ishihara will become an icon, in particular in the interpretation of the films Taiyozoku .

Regarded as the equal one of a Elvis Presley then of Humphrey Bogart by the fans who continue to go in pilgrimage to the Yūjirō memorial in Otaru, each year. The novel Ototo of Shintaro was one of the largest literary success of its last years.

The films inspired of the novels of Shintarō Ishihara inscrirent in the Japanese New wave with the realizers Nagisa Oshima, Yoshishige Yoshida and Masahiro Shinoda, directly inspired by the French New wave of Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut or Alain Resnais.

In 1956, François Truffaut, then film critic, will locate first film of KB Nakahira ( youthful Passions , inspired of Ishihara) in an article under the title of Si young people and the Japanese .

Friendship of Mishima

Yukio Mishima, celebrates it Japanese author who committed suicide, seven years his groin, was the burning support of Ishihara since its beginnings. It introduced Ishihara near the writers and of the critics into the literary world; Ishihara on its side introduced Mishima into the world of the “sensuality”. According to Ishihara, “Mishima-san grew in a family of bureaucrats and behind its desire it was inhibited by conventions”. The author of the Sun and Steel liked much Shintarō and considered it regrettable that it gave up his literary career. But curiously it was him which advised in Ishihara to launch out in policy. In November 1964, Mishima becomes one of the editors of eight volumes of the Shintarō Ishihara Library ( Kawade shobo shinsha ). Ishihara maintains the memory Mishima and likes to discuss its mentor. For Ishihara, “Japan is not any more the same one since it left us, but its political project was a joke”.

Life pre-policy

In the years 1960, it mainly concentrated on its trade of writer, writing articles, creating parts, novels, a musical version of the Island with the treasure . It took part in films, created its company Ishara International Productions, travelled until the North pole, took part in nautical races with its yacht the Contessa , crossed cover, the South America in the motor bike the war of the Vietnam, etc

During this period, in an article of a weekly magazine, Ishihara hustle the adventure of Horie Ken' ichi qualified (謙一堀江), which involved a sharp polemic. In 1963, after the victory of the championship by the Sumotori Kashiwado (柏戸), Ishihara wrote in a magazine that the match had been faked; the Japanese Association of sumo (日本相撲協会) carried felt sorry for.

In the Years 1970, whereas the attraction for Nessie beat full sound, Ishihara went to the Log Born (ネス湖) while being the captain of a group of exploration.

Ishihara was an admiror of the provocative Japanese artist of the years 1970 Yoshiki Okamoto and after its election at the post of governor, supported the restoration of the Young Clock Tower of Ginza.

Television

Ishihara appears regularly in Variety-Show on television as a Guest star. It also intervenes in the Which wants to gain million? Japanese .

Striking facts of its political life

The idea of a new Party

Since 2002, a political theory would make of Ishihara next the Prime Minister. The rumor implies that it would form its own party. An event which “would shake to the foundations of the political power in Japan” according to some. Shizuka Kamei (静香亀井) called its wishes the creation of a new party around Ishihara. Takeo Hiranuma (赳夫平沼) of the faction Shisui-kai supports to him also Ishihara in this direction. His/her oldest son Nobuteru Ishihara (伸晃石原) and of the conservatives close to Ishihara as Yoshitada Kounoike (祥肇鴻池) would be ready to support this party.

Japan which can say “No”

Left in 1989, this work was a success in Japan but had a rather negative echo in the American politicians. The book worried the American diplomats so much so that a version pirate and partial prepared by a department of the Pentagone quickly circulated in Washington. Following the pressures of the American Congress, the founder of Sony Akio Morita (昭夫盛田) discreetly had to withdraw this collaboration. This work criticized the American business management privileging the short-term one and made in fact answer to the American report/ratio Japan 2000 of 1988 which tried to analyze the many failures of the American companies vis-a-vis the Japanese companies. Ishihara published the English test then collaborated with Malaysian the Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad for Asia which can say “No” or the Way of Asia .

Ishihara on its political training

“I was formed basiquement with the policy with my experiment in the international nautical races. I was the commodore of a committee of nautical races. Not an old shack but a large yacht. The race is dangerous because so boats are struck, of people can die and the boats which cost tens or hundreds of million yens could be lost. After this kind of accident, the international jury establishes a martial court, and if you do not justify yourselves correctly, you lose and support all the blame. I believe that applies at the same time to the interior policy and international. ”

Political life

After having covered the war of Vietnam with her Cease to it fire of Christmas, the truth (クリスマス停戦 （トルース), Ishihara fell sick, victim of hepatitis. With this experiment and a letter of sympathy of Yukio Mishima (由紀夫三島) which exhorts there, Ishihara started to want to make of the policy. It accepted also the support of his friends artists, called for the occasion the Body Ishihara (石原軍団): they appeared in a frequent and positive way in programs of entertainments.

In the political world, Shizuka Kamei (静香亀井), Hiromi Nonaka (広務野中) belong to his/her friends. He sees also regularly Yasuhiro Nakasone, the former Prime Minister. He was the friend of the US president Ronald Reagan, he is that of the Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian and maintains good contacts with John R. Bolton, the current American ambassador with UNO.

Ishihara proposed the application of the law and order by the Forces Japanese woman of self-defense, refers to China by the old term of Shina (支那), makes reference to the Korean, Chinese residents and American of Japan by the popular expression of Sangokujin (三国人), criticized the three Japanese hostages in Iraq, proposed a reform of the Constitution, proposed to be unaware of the law to treat with the terrorists (法を無視してでもテロと闘う). Its speeches have each time received their batch of criticisms and supports for Japan.

The Ishihara deputy

• Years 1970: Ishihara proposes a plan to go to deliver the senator Benigno Aquino, one of his/her friends, who was imprisoned by the dictator of the Filipino Ferdinand Marcos.
• In 1981, it helped Ronald Reagan to obtain the support of the Japanese financial world at the time of the presidential elections. In return, Ishihara was invited to Washington by new president Reagan for his inauguration.
• In 1988, whereas it was Minister for Transport and that an experiment of phone line took place in the Préfecture of Miyazaki, in the Kyūshū, Ishihara declares that “one cannot undertake an experiment in the middle of the pigsties and of the hen houses, and to claim itself to trust of Japanese technology in the world”.
• the same year, 1988, it qualified the American military forces stationed in Japan of “watchdog”, which caused the public indignation of Richard Lee Armitage, the assistant of the American Secretary to Defense in load of the military relations Etats - Linked - Japan.

First mandate of the Ishihara governor

• In 1999, at the time of its speech presenting its candidature, it spoke with this joke: “Hello, I am the big brother of Yûjirō Ishihara” (Shintarō is as known as his/her brother).
• Its slogan for the elections is “To change Japan since Tōkyō”. He proposes the transformation of the American base of Yokosuka into civil airport to unchoke that of Haneda. He promises the cleansing of finances of the prefecture.
• After its election, Shintarō Ishihara promised to go each year, on August 15th, with the Sanctuaire of Yasukuni. The question of the journalists who asked whether it were “On a purely public basis or personal capacity”, he answered with ardor “I will not answer these idiocies! ”.
• One of its first measurements was the “Strategy of the diesel refusal of the cars”.
• the governor follows a liberal urban policy while imposing that the roofs of the buildings which make more than 100 m ² of surface are covered with green zones. It wishes to limit the growth of the population in the center of Tōkyō to a million inhabitants in more (+ 50  %).
• Ishihara instituted a local tax on the banks to ensure more financing the metropolitan government. The idea taken up in other prefectures and at the national level was criticized by preserving deputies, then a compromise was found in the new national code. Ishihara planned to create a casino and a bank to make it possible the small companies to find financings.
• About the foreigners entered illegally to Japan, the governor worried about the increase in the crimes for which they would be responsible and stressed the re-establishment of the law and order.
• In 2000, the governor made a displacement in Taiwan where it assisted with the establishment of the Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian.
• In 2000, Ishihara required of the Forces Japanese woman self-defense to be held ready if foreigners would make riots after an earthquake. A polemic having incipient around around the term sangokujin , the governor had to be explained on the direction of its remarks.
• In 2001, Ishihara conducted campaign against the many corbels which haunt the town of Tōkyō: this one counts some nearly 30.000 corbels. To solve the problem of the Karasu , according to him, “it is necessary to cut down them in the sky, and then to make tarts with the corbels of them”.
• on May 8th, 2001, in the newspaper Sankei Shimbun , about clandestine Chinese, the governor expressed his anxiety “for the Japanese company which faces an epidemic of crime characterized by the DNA of the criminals”.
• With regard to the North Korea and the unsolved question of the Japanese hostages, the prefecture of Tōkyō protested while refusing to send food to the dictatorship of North Korea.

Second mandate of the Ishihara governor

• In 2003, Ishihara is re-elected governor of Tōkyō, with 70,21% of the votes. Being presented as an independent candidate, it received the support of the voters tradionnels PLD, Nouveau Kōmeitō but also of DPJ. After this victory, Ishihara affirmed that it would continue its program: “Tōkyō will be the lever which will enable me to carry out my mission, to leave our country the current crisis”.
• In May 2004, the governor of Tōkyō is officially accommodated by Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian. Ishihara with the hope which the Chen administration will ensure the prosperity of Taiwan and the peace of the Asian area. He explained in addition why although Japan does not have a diplomatic relation with Taiwan since 1972, he hoped to develop the cultural exchanges, technological and economic between Tōkyō and Taiwan.
• In 2004, following the reorganization of the metropolitan University of Tōkyō in University of the capital Tōkyō, more directed towards professional insertion, the arguments of certain professors having been neglected, the latter organized their opposition. At the time of this reorganization, the departments of foreign languages were gathered in a die of “international language” and the departments of French language and German language were removed. The French professors then expressed and wrote letters of protest. The October 19th 2004, at the time of a bearing speech on these reforms, at the time of the meeting of Tokyo U-club, the governor, aggravated by agitation, evoked this unfruitful opposition in the facts: “There are innumerable French and German teachers at the municipal University of Tōkyō, whereas the number of the students is close to zero. ” The governor of Tōkyō added: “French is a language inapt for calculation, it is completely normal that it is disqualified like international language. Certain individuals who cling to such a language express an unfruitful opposition (with the creation of a new university). It is ridiculous and does not deserve to be taken into account. ” Its sentence refers to the way in which the French count from 70: “seventy”. The Ishihara governor was explained and excused himself for his remarks which would have been badly included/understood. But being based on this sentence, an association carried out by Malik Berkane, director of a private school of language present at Tōkyō carried felt sorry for against the governor of Tōkyō for racist remarks, and claim “in the name of the defense of the shamefully attacked French language” 500.000 yens for each plaintiff. The French authorities however announced, by the means of the ambassador of France with Tōkyō, that there was no polemic: “Of the remarks were lent to the Governor of Tōkyō on French. I do not wish in any way of engaging a polemic. ”
• the May 20th 2005, it inspected the small islands Okinotorishima (沖ノ鳥島), to 1700 km of Tokyo. The statute of the island is disputed by China. Ishihara proposed the construction of a powerplant and settlement of the islands, and strongly criticized the speeches anti-Japanese of the Chinese government.
• In June 2005, concerning the arrival or not of the Koizumi Prime Minister to the temple Yasukuni, it declared: If the Prime Minister does not come in Yasukuni, the country will worsen interior bruyamment .
• August 2005. In its edition of August, Bungei Shunju made appear Which are qualities necessary to be a Prime Minister? , a series of talks by the governor Shintarō Ishihara with Shinzo Abe, former general secretary of the PLD, Yasuhiro Nakasone, former Prime Minister, and Hiromu Nonaka, general secretary of the PLD.
• the August 6th 2005, the governor of Tokyo declared that the town of Tokyo was certainly going to declare candidate for the Olympic Games of summer of 2016, as it had accommodated them in 1964.
• In August 2005, the Prime Minister Koizumi decided to dissolve the Chambre of the representatives and to cause anticipated legislative elections, the September 11th 2005, in order to purge PLD its own political opponents. From this point of view, the August 13rd 2005, the governor of Tōkyō declared that it would support Koki Kobayashi, the current deputy against the candidate of the Prime Minister, Yuriko Koike the minister of environment.
• the August 15th 2005, whereas the Koizumi Prime Minister gives up going to the Sanctuaire of Yasukuni (靖国神社) following the protest of the Popular republic of China and South Korea, Shintarō Ishihara, accompanied by about fifty deputies PLD, goes there to request with the memory Japanese deaths.
• the August 23rd 2005, it announces that it will produce a film on the kamikazes, I will die for anybody of other that you , founded on its discussions with Tome Torihama: The history does not justify of anything the kamikazes but it illustrates their splendid, and nevertheless tragic, adolescence. I believe that I described the beauty and the sadness of their youth in script.
• the April 14th 2006, Ishihara publicly regretted the withdrawal of Beijing of the forum of the Asian Network of the principal cities ( Asian Network off Major Cities 21 ). The governor of Tokyo which was personally implied to develop this organization, so in particular regulating in a way concerted in the area the environmental problems, considered that the absence of the Chinese capital was regrettable.
• the April 24th 2006, during the inauguration of the exposure Collection of the Cartier Foundation for the contemporary art to the Museum of contemporary art of Tokyo , the governor of Tokyo, criticized in its speech works which were presented, in particular that of Australian Ron Mueck or Alain Gomes. Ishihara estimated that the Contemporary art deserved better than works, minor according to him, of the Cartier Foundation. “While coming here, I thought of seeing large things, but in fact, I do not have anything considering. This exposure of contemporary art is ridiculous”. During its turn of the exposure he stated why “the contemporary art which requires to be explained is not worth anything” and which within sight of the whole of the Cartier catalog, supposed to gather mainly Western major works, “the Japanese culture is more beautiful than the Occidental culture”.
• the April 29th 2006, the governor of Tokyo made public the development plan of the city to accommodate the Olympic Games of summer of 2016.

Third mandate of the Ishihara governor

• In 2007, Ishihara is triumphantly re-elected governor of Tōkyō.

Discusses

The tumultuous life of Shintarō Ishihara and its “outspokenness” made of him a Japanese political personality in sight in Japan and abroad. Its words shocks and politically incorrect often caused polemics coming political opponents and enemy or critical countries from Japan.

What thinks Ishihara about the French and of the French language?

The governor is known to have studied the French literature, to have read Sartre in particular, and to have a sharp passion for the French dadaïstes. He thus took part with François Truffaut, of the French New wave, with an international project of film. His/her friend and mentor Yukio Mishima wrote under the influence of François Mauriac, its second novel a Thirst for love (the mother of Mishima spoke French). And works of the mentor of Mishima, Yasunari Kawabata, Nobel Prize of literature of 1968, are mainly inspired by the Dadaïsme and the Expressionisme French of the beginning of the century. In November 2004, the governor of Tōkyō and the mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, took time to discuss to give a description of the exchanges and the new co-operations of mutual interest for the future.

Is Ishihara nationalist?

At the time of a conference on the initiative of the American chamber of commerce of Tōkyō, Ishihara recalled that it was not nationalist, but a patriot having in heart to defend the interests of Japan. On another occasion: I like the sumo and the kabuki, but I do not have necessarily ethnocentric ideas which make that I would think that all that is Japanese is better. In the relations Japan-State-Plain, which I hate more, it is Japan.

Is Ishihara pro-American or anti-American?

Ishihara was the friend of the president Ronald Reagan but does not hide its opposition to the presence of the American military forces in Japan, nor to want to defend the economic interests of Japan vis-a-vis the American interests. It is close to pro-American reviews anticommunists like the Sankei Shimbun .

What thinks Ishihara about the foreigners?

In 2003, Gregory Clark, old diplomatic Australian explained why the Western mediums have a propensity to neglect and to make bad quotations of the Japanese policies. Clark in particular noticed that Ishihara often spoke about Japan like one zasshu minzoku (a “bastard nation”) which would make well accommodate immigration , including an Asian immigration. In March 2005 the governor declared: We must look further into our mutual comprehension with the people of the ground so as to carry out a durable peace. On another side the governor of Tōkyō had very hard remarks on the crimes committed by the foreigners in illegal situation in Japan.

What means the term sangokujin for Ishihara?

TIME : For you, to what does the term sangokujin refer for you?

Ishihara : The first direction of the word is foreign. The second direction (for a certain period after the Second world war) is used to designate people of the old colonies like Taiwan and Korea. Another manner of using it was when American soldiers inserted the doors of our houses. We said a very large sangokujin inserted our door.

TIME : Were you surprised by the negative reaction with your speech?

Ishihara : I referred to many the Sangokujin which entered illegally to Japan. I thought that certain people would not know this word, then I paraphrased and I used the word of gaikokujin (“foreign”). But it was a newspaper of holidays then the news agencies deliberately put the part with sangokujin ahead, and that causing the problem.

What thinks Ishihara about the Chinese and of China?

The governor of Tokyo is a friend of the Taiwanese president, but does not hide its aversion for the not-democratic modes. It is well perceived in Taiwan, but is hated by the authorities of the Popular republic of China. It used the term of Sina , but this one is also used by the Chinese.

What thinks Ishihara about the massacre of Nankin?

Ishihara said that the Massacre of Nankin was a “Chinese invention” but explained why, according to him, “the Japanese soldiers in the hysteria of the war made massacres”. What question Ishihara it is the number of victims, 300.000, presented by the international court of Tōkyō. Certain studies currently undertaken by American and Japanese researchers would tend to cancel these figures and to accredit a voluntary exaggeration of the Chinese.

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