List of Japanese prime ministers by longevity

This is a list of Japanese prime ministers by longevity. It consists of Prime Ministers and Interim Prime Ministers of Japan who have held the office. If a prime minister served more than one non-consecutive term, the dates given are for the beginning of their first term, and the end of their last term.

Living as of 1 February 2021
Prime Minister Date of birth Prime Minister
Tomiichi Murayama (1924-03-03) 3 March 1924 1994–1996
Toshiki Kaifu (1931-01-02) 2 January 1931 1989–1991
Yasuo Fukuda (1936-07-16) 16 July 1936 2007–2008
Yoshirō Mori (1937-07-14) 14 July 1937 2000–2001
Morihiro Hosokawa (1938-01-14) 14 January 1938 1993–1994
Tarō Asō (1940-09-20) 20 September 1940 2008–2009
Junichiro Koizumi (1942-01-08) 8 January 1942 2001–2006
Naoto Kan (1946-10-10) 10 October 1946 2010–2011
Yukio Hatoyama (1947-02-11) 11 February 1947 2009–2010
Yoshihide Suga (1948-12-06) 6 December 1948 since 2020
Shinzo Abe (1954-09-21) 21 September 1954 2006–2007, 2012–2020
Yoshihiko Noda (1957-05-20) 20 May 1957 2011–2012

To avoid confusion and maintain consistency, the name of the Prime Ministers are listed in the Western style (given name, family name). Where the person in question is still living, the longevity is calculated up to 1 February 2021.

Overview

The median age of a Prime Minister first taking office is roughly 61 years and 123 days. This falls between Katō Tomosaburō and Hara Takashi. The youngest Prime Minister was the first, Hirobumi Itō, who took office at the age of 44 years, 67 days. The oldest Prime Minister to first take office was Kantarō Suzuki, who became Prime Minister at the age of 77 years, 79 days.

The oldest living Prime Minister is Tomiichi Murayama, born 3 March 1924 (age 96 years, 335 days). The youngest living former Prime Minister is Yoshihiko Noda, born 20 May 1957 (age 63 years, 257 days).

The longest-lived Prime Minister was Naruhiko Higashikuni, who died at the age of 102 years, 48 days. If the oldest living Prime Minister, Murayama, lives to 20 April 2026, he will tie this record. The shortest-lived Prime Minister was Sanetomi Sanjō, who died at the age of 53 years and 352 days.

The Prime Minister with the longest retirement is Naruhiko Higashikuni. He left office on 9 October 1945, and died 44 years and 103 days later on 20 January 1990. The Prime Minister with the shortest retirement is Keizō Obuchi, who died on 14 May 2000, 39 days after leaving office on 5 April 2000.

Longevity of Japanese prime ministers

There are 9 Prime Ministers of Japan who lived beyond the age of 90:

Nonagenarian and Centenarian Prime Ministers

List of prime ministers
  Dead
  Living
  Incumbent
As of 01:30, Monday, February 1, 2021 (UTC).
#
 Prime Minister
 Date of birth
 Start date of first term Age at
start date
 End date of final term Age at
end date
 Length of
retirement
 Date of death
 Lifespan
1 Itō Hirobumi (1841-10-16)16 October 1841 22 December 1885 (1885-12-22) 44 years, 67 days 10 May 1901 (1901-05-10) 59 years, 206 days 8 years, 169 days (1909-10-26)26 October 1909 68 years, 10 days
2 Kuroda Kiyotaka (1840-11-09)9 November 1840 30 April 1888 (1888-04-30) 47 years, 173 days 18 September 1896 (1896-09-18) 55 years, 314 days 3 years, 339 days (1900-08-23)23 August 1900 59 years, 287 days
3 Sanjō Sanetomi (1837-03-13)13 March 1837 25 October 1889 (1889-10-25) 52 years, 226 days 24 December 1889 (1889-12-24) 52 years, 286 days 1 year, 56 days (1891-02-18)18 February 1891 53 years, 342 days
4 Yamagata Aritomo (1838-06-14)14 June 1838 24 December 1889 (1889-12-24) 51 years, 193 days 19 October 1900 (1900-10-19) 62 years, 127 days 21 years, 105 days (1922-02-01)1 February 1922 83 years, 232 days
5 Matsukata Masayoshi (1835-02-25)25 February 1835 6 May 1891 (1891-05-06) 56 years, 70 days 12 January 1898 (1898-01-12) 62 years, 321 days 26 years, 172 days (1924-07-02)2 July 1924 89 years, 128 days
6 Ōkuma Shigenobu (1838-03-11)11 March 1838 30 June 1898 (1898-06-30) 60 years, 111 days 9 October 1916 (1916-10-09) 78 years, 212 days 5 years, 93 days (1922-01-10)10 January 1922 83 years, 305 days
7 Saionji Kinmochi (1849-12-07)7 December 1849 10 May 1901 (1901-05-10) 51 years, 154 days 21 December 1912 (1912-12-21) 63 years, 14 days 27 years, 339 days (1940-11-24)24 November 1940 90 years, 353 days
8 Katsura Tarō (1848-01-04)4 January 1848 2 June 1901 (1901-06-02) 53 years, 149 days 20 February 1913 (1913-02-20) 65 years, 47 days 232 days (1913-10-10)10 October 1913 65 years, 279 days
9 Yamamoto Gonnohyōe (1852-11-26)26 November 1852 20 February 1913 (1913-02-20) 60 years, 86 days 7 January 1924 (1924-01-07) 71 years, 42 days 9 years, 335 days (1933-12-08)8 December 1933 81 years, 12 days
10 Terauchi Masatake (1852-02-05)5 February 1852 9 October 1916 (1916-10-09) 64 years, 247 days 29 September 1918 (1918-09-29) 66 years, 236 days 1 year, 35 days (1919-11-03)3 November 1919 67 years, 271 days
11 Hara Takashi (1856-03-15)15 March 1856 29 September 1918 (1918-09-29) 62 years, 198 days 4 November 1921 (1921-11-04)[1] 65 years, 234 days N/A (1921-11-04)4 November 1921 65 years, 234 days
12 Uchida Kōsai (1865-11-17)17 November 1865 4 November 1921 (1921-11-04) 55 years, 352 days 2 September 1923 (1923-09-02) 57 years, 289 days 12 years, 192 days (1936-03-12)12 March 1936 70 years, 116 days
13 Takahashi Korekiyo (1854-07-27)27 July 1854 13 November 1921 (1921-11-13) 67 years, 109 days 26 May 1932 (1932-05-26) 77 years, 304 days 3 years, 276 days (1936-02-26)26 February 1936 81 years, 214 days
14 Katō Tomosaburō (1861-02-22)22 February 1861 16 June 1922 (1922-06-16) 61 years, 114 days 24 August 1923 (1923-08-24)[1] 62 years, 183 days N/A (1923-08-24)24 August 1923 62 years, 183 days
15 Kiyoura Keigo (1850-03-27)27 March 1850 7 January 1924 (1924-01-07) 73 years, 286 days 11 June 1924 (1924-06-11) 74 years, 76 days 18 years, 147 days (1942-11-05)5 November 1942 92 years, 223 days
16 Katō Takaaki (1860-01-03)3 January 1860 11 June 1924 (1924-06-11) 64 years, 160 days 28 January 1926 (1926-01-28)[1] 66 years, 25 days N/A (1926-01-28)28 January 1926 66 years, 25 days
17 Wakatsuki Reijirō (1866-03-21)21 March 1866 28 January 1926 (1926-01-28) 59 years, 313 days 13 December 1931 (1931-12-13) 65 years, 267 days 17 years, 342 days (1949-11-20)20 November 1949 83 years, 244 days
18 Tanaka Giichi (1864-06-22)22 June 1864 20 April 1927 (1927-04-20) 62 years, 302 days 2 July 1929 (1929-07-02) 65 years, 10 days 89 days (1929-09-29)29 September 1929 65 years, 99 days
19 Osachi Hamaguchi (1870-04-01)1 April 1870 2 July 1929 (1929-07-02) 59 years, 92 days 14 April 1931 (1931-04-14) 61 years, 13 days 134 days (1931-08-26)26 August 1931 61 years, 147 days
20 Kijūrō Shidehara (1872-09-13)13 September 1872 14 November 1930 (1930-11-14) 58 years, 62 days 22 May 1946 (1946-05-22) 73 years, 251 days 4 years, 292 days (1951-03-10)10 March 1951 78 years, 178 days
21 Inukai Tsuyoshi (1855-06-04)4 June 1855 13 December 1931 (1931-12-13) 76 years, 192 days 15 May 1932 (1932-05-15)[1] 76 years, 346 days N/A (1932-05-15)15 May 1932 76 years, 346 days
22 Saitō Makoto (1858-10-27)27 October 1858 26 May 1932 (1932-05-26) 73 years, 212 days 8 July 1934 (1934-07-08) 75 years, 254 days 1 year, 233 days (1936-02-26)26 February 1936 77 years, 122 days
23 Keisuke Okada (1868-01-20)20 January 1868 8 July 1934 (1934-07-08) 66 years, 169 days 9 March 1936 (1936-03-09) 68 years, 49 days 16 years, 212 days (1952-10-07)7 October 1952 84 years, 261 days
24 Kōki Hirota (1878-02-14)14 February 1878 9 March 1936 (1936-03-09) 58 years, 24 days 2 February 1937 (1937-02-02) 58 years, 354 days 11 years, 325 days (1948-12-23)23 December 1948 70 years, 313 days
25 Senjūrō Hayashi (1876-02-23)23 February 1876 2 February 1937 (1937-02-02) 60 years, 345 days 4 June 1937 (1937-06-04) 61 years, 101 days 5 years, 245 days (1943-02-04)4 February 1943 66 years, 346 days
26 Fumimaro Konoe (1891-10-12)12 October 1891 4 June 1937 (1937-06-04) 45 years, 235 days 18 October 1941 (1941-10-18) 50 years, 6 days 4 years, 59 days (1945-12-16)16 December 1945 54 years, 65 days
27 Hiranuma Kiichirō (1867-09-28)28 September 1867 5 January 1939 (1939-01-05) 71 years, 99 days 30 August 1939 (1939-08-30) 71 years, 336 days 12 years, 358 days (1952-08-22)22 August 1952 84 years, 329 days
28 Nobuyuki Abe (1875-11-24)24 November 1875 30 August 1939 (1939-08-30) 63 years, 279 days 16 January 1940 (1940-01-16) 64 years, 53 days 13 years, 234 days (1953-09-07)7 September 1953 77 years, 287 days
29 Mitsumasa Yonai (1880-03-02)2 March 1880 16 January 1940 (1940-01-16) 59 years, 320 days 22 July 1940 (1940-07-22) 60 years, 142 days 7 years, 273 days (1948-04-20)20 April 1948 68 years, 49 days
30 Hideki Tojo (1884-12-30)30 December 1884 17 October 1941 (1941-10-17) 56 years, 291 days 22 July 1944 (1944-07-22) 59 years, 205 days 4 years, 154 days (1948-12-23)23 December 1948 63 years, 359 days
31 Kuniaki Koiso (1880-03-22)22 March 1880 22 July 1944 (1944-07-22) 64 years, 122 days 7 April 1945 (1945-04-07) 65 years, 16 days 5 years, 210 days (1950-11-03)3 November 1950 70 years, 226 days
32 Kantarō Suzuki (1868-01-18)18 January 1868 7 April 1945 (1945-04-07) 77 years, 79 days 17 August 1945 (1945-08-17) 77 years, 211 days 2 years, 244 days (1948-04-17)17 April 1948 80 years, 90 days
33 Naruhiko Higashikuni (1887-12-03)3 December 1887 17 August 1945 (1945-08-17) 57 years, 257 days 9 October 1945 (1945-10-09) 57 years, 310 days 44 years, 103 days (1990-01-20)20 January 1990 102 years, 48 days
34 Shigeru Yoshida (1878-09-22)22 September 1878 22 May 1946 (1946-05-22) 67 years, 242 days 10 December 1954 (1954-12-10) 76 years, 79 days 12 years, 314 days (1967-10-20)20 October 1967 89 years, 28 days
35 Tetsu Katayama (1887-07-28)28 July 1887 24 May 1947 (1947-05-24) 59 years, 300 days 10 March 1948 (1948-03-10) 60 years, 226 days 30 years, 81 days (1978-05-30)30 May 1978 90 years, 306 days
36 Hitoshi Ashida (1887-11-15)15 November 1887 10 March 1948 (1948-03-10) 60 years, 116 days 15 October 1948 (1948-10-15) 60 years, 335 days 10 years, 248 days (1959-06-20)20 June 1959 71 years, 217 days
37 Ichirō Hatoyama (1883-01-01)1 January 1883 10 December 1954 (1954-12-10) 71 years, 343 days 23 December 1956 (1956-12-23) 73 years, 357 days 2 years, 74 days (1959-03-07)7 March 1959 76 years, 65 days
38 Tanzan Ishibashi (1884-09-25)25 September 1884 23 December 1956 (1956-12-23) 72 years, 89 days 31 January 1957 (1957-01-31) 72 years, 128 days 16 years, 84 days (1973-04-25)25 April 1973 88 years, 212 days
39 Nobusuke Kishi (1896-11-13)13 November 1896 31 January 1957 (1957-01-31) 60 years, 79 days 19 July 1960 (1960-07-19) 63 years, 249 days 27 years, 19 days (1987-08-07)7 August 1987 90 years, 267 days
40 Hayato Ikeda (1899-12-03)3 December 1899 19 July 1960 (1960-07-19) 60 years, 229 days 9 November 1964 (1964-11-09) 64 years, 342 days 277 days (1965-08-13)13 August 1965 65 years, 253 days
41 Eisaku Satō (1901-03-27)27 March 1901 9 November 1964 (1964-11-09) 63 years, 227 days 7 July 1972 (1972-07-07) 71 years, 102 days 2 years, 331 days (1975-06-03)3 June 1975 74 years, 68 days
42 Kakuei Tanaka (1918-05-04)4 May 1918 7 July 1972 (1972-07-07) 54 years, 64 days 9 December 1974 (1974-12-09) 56 years, 219 days 19 years, 7 days (1993-12-16)16 December 1993 75 years, 226 days
43 Takeo Miki (1907-03-17)17 March 1907 9 December 1974 (1974-12-09) 67 years, 267 days 24 December 1976 (1976-12-24) 69 years, 282 days 11 years, 326 days (1988-11-14)14 November 1988 81 years, 242 days
44 Takeo Fukuda (1905-01-14)14 January 1905 24 December 1976 (1976-12-24) 71 years, 345 days 7 December 1978 (1978-12-07) 73 years, 327 days 16 years, 210 days (1995-07-05)5 July 1995 90 years, 172 days
45 Masayoshi Ōhira (1910-03-12)12 March 1910 7 December 1978 (1978-12-07) 68 years, 270 days 12 June 1980 (1980-06-12)[1] 70 years, 92 days N/A (1980-06-12)12 June 1980 70 years, 92 days
46 Masayoshi Ito (1913-12-15)15 December 1913 12 June 1980 (1980-06-12) 66 years, 180 days 17 July 1980 (1980-07-17) 66 years, 215 days 13 years, 308 days (1994-05-21)21 May 1994 80 years, 157 days
47 Zenkō Suzuki (1911-01-11)11 January 1911 17 July 1980 (1980-07-17) 69 years, 188 days 27 November 1982 (1982-11-27) 71 years, 320 days 21 years, 235 days (2004-07-19)19 July 2004 93 years, 190 days
48 Yasuhiro Nakasone (1918-05-27)27 May 1918 27 November 1982 (1982-11-27) 64 years, 184 days 6 November 1987 (1987-11-06) 69 years, 163 days 32 years, 23 days (2019-11-29)29 November 2019 101 years, 186 days
49 Noboru Takeshita (1924-02-26)26 February 1924 6 November 1987 (1987-11-06) 63 years, 253 days 3 June 1989 (1989-06-03) 65 years, 97 days 11 years, 16 days (2000-06-19)19 June 2000 76 years, 114 days
50 Sōsuke Uno (1922-08-27)27 August 1922 3 June 1989 (1989-06-03) 66 years, 280 days 10 August 1989 (1989-08-10) 66 years, 348 days 8 years, 282 days (1998-05-19)19 May 1998 75 years, 265 days
51 Toshiki Kaifu (1931-01-02)2 January 1931 10 August 1989 (1989-08-10) 58 years, 220 days 5 November 1991 (1991-11-05) 60 years, 307 days 29 years, 88 days 90 years, 30 days
52 Kiichi Miyazawa (1919-10-08)8 October 1919 5 November 1991 (1991-11-05) 72 years, 28 days 9 August 1993 (1993-08-09) 73 years, 305 days 13 years, 323 days (2007-06-28)28 June 2007 87 years, 263 days
53 Morihiro Hosokawa (1938-01-14)14 January 1938 9 August 1993 (1993-08-09) 55 years, 207 days 28 April 1994 (1994-04-28) 56 years, 104 days 26 years, 279 days 83 years, 18 days
54 Tsutomu Hata (1935-08-24)24 August 1935 28 April 1994 (1994-04-28) 58 years, 247 days 30 June 1994 (1994-06-30) 58 years, 310 days 23 years, 59 days (2017-08-28)28 August 2017 82 years, 4 days
55 Tomiichi Murayama (1924-03-03)3 March 1924 30 June 1994 (1994-06-30) 70 years, 119 days 11 January 1996 (1996-01-11) 71 years, 314 days 25 years, 21 days 96 years, 335 days
56 Ryutaro Hashimoto (1937-07-29)29 July 1937 11 January 1996 (1996-01-11) 58 years, 166 days 30 July 1998 (1998-07-30) 61 years, 1 day 7 years, 336 days (2006-07-01)1 July 2006 68 years, 337 days
57 Keizō Obuchi (1937-06-25)25 June 1937 30 July 1998 (1998-07-30) 61 years, 35 days 5 April 2000 (2000-04-05) 62 years, 285 days 39 days (2000-05-14)14 May 2000 62 years, 324 days
58 Yoshirō Mori (1937-07-14)14 July 1937 5 April 2000 (2000-04-05) 62 years, 266 days 26 April 2001 (2001-04-26) 63 years, 286 days 19 years, 281 days 83 years, 202 days
59 Junichiro Koizumi (1942-01-08)8 January 1942 26 April 2001 (2001-04-26) 59 years, 108 days 26 September 2006 (2006-09-26) 64 years, 261 days 14 years, 128 days 79 years, 24 days
60 Shinzo Abe (1954-09-21)21 September 1954 26 September 2006 (2006-09-26) 52 years, 5 days 16 September 2020 (2020-09-16) 65 years, 361 days 138 days 66 years, 133 days
61 Yasuo Fukuda (1936-07-16)16 July 1936 26 September 2007 (2007-09-26) 71 years, 72 days 24 September 2008 (2008-09-24) 72 years, 70 days 12 years, 130 days 84 years, 200 days
62 Tarō Asō (1940-09-20)20 September 1940 24 September 2008 (2008-09-24) 68 years, 4 days 16 September 2009 (2009-09-16) 68 years, 361 days 11 years, 138 days 80 years, 134 days
63 Yukio Hatoyama (1947-02-11)11 February 1947 16 September 2009 (2009-09-16) 62 years, 217 days 10 June 2010 (2010-06-10) 63 years, 119 days 10 years, 236 days 73 years, 356 days
64 Naoto Kan (1946-10-10)10 October 1946 10 June 2010 (2010-06-10) 63 years, 243 days 2 September 2011 (2011-09-02) 64 years, 327 days 9 years, 152 days 74 years, 114 days
65 Yoshihiko Noda (1957-05-20)20 May 1957 2 September 2011 (2011-09-02) 54 years, 105 days 26 December 2012 (2012-12-26) 55 years, 220 days 8 years, 37 days 63 years, 257 days
66 Yoshihide Suga (1948-12-06)6 December 1948 16 September 2020 (2020-09-16) 71 years, 285 days Incumbent Incumbent Incumbent 72 years, 57 days
#
 Prime Minister
 Date of birth
 Start date Age at
start date
 End date Age at
end date
 Length of
retirement
 Date of death
 Lifespan

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Oldest living Prime Ministers of Japan

Not all prime ministers live to become the oldest of their time. Of the 54 deceased prime ministers, 18 eventually became the oldest of their time, while 36 did not (including all 5 prime ministers who died in office and 31 others). Matsukata Masayoshi became the oldest living prime minister when he was appointed in 1891 and remained so until his death in 1924, for a record 33 years and 55 days. Keisuke Okada became the oldest living prime minister after the death of Hiranuma Kiichirō, but he survived Kiichirō by only 46 days.

On three occasions the oldest living prime minister lost this distinction not by his death, but due to the appointment of a prime minister who was older. Itō Hirobumi (b. 1841) lost this distinction when Kuroda Kiyotaka (b. 1840) was appointed. Kuroda Kiyotaka lost this distinction when Sanjō Sanetomi (b. 1837) was appointed. Yamagata Aritomo (b. 1838) lost this distinction when Matsukata Masayoshi (b. 1835) was appointed.

Tomiichi Murayama was the oldest to acquire this distinction at the age of 95 years, and 217 days. Nobusuke Kishi, who was 90 years, and 297 days old when he died on 7 August 1987 is the oldest prime minister to die without ever acquiring this distinction. Tsutomu Hata, who was 82 years, and 4 days old when he died on 28 August 2017 is the most recent prime minister to die without ever acquiring this distinction.

Prime Minister Period when oldest living prime minister Age Duration
Start dateEnd dateat startat end
Itō Hirobumi 22 December 1885 30 April 1888 44 years, 67 days 46 years, 197 days 2 years, 130 days
Kuroda Kiyotaka 30 April 1888 25 October 1889 47 years, 173 days 48 years, 350 days 1 year, 178 days
Sanjō Sanetomi 25 October 1889 21 February 1891 52 years, 226 days 53 years, 345 days 1 year, 119 days
Yamagata Aritomo 21 February 1891 8 May 1891 52 years, 252 days 52 years, 328 days 76 days
Matsukata Masayoshi 8 May 1891 2 July 1924 56 years, 72 days 89 years, 128 days 33 years, 55 days
Saionji Kinmochi 2 July 1924 24 November 1940 74 years, 253 days 91 years, 32 days 16 years, 145 days
Kiyoura Keigo 24 November 1940 5 November 1942 90 years, 242 days 92 years, 223 days 1 year, 346 days
Wakatsuki Reijirō 5 November 1942 20 November 1949 76 years, 229 days 83 years, 244 days 7 years, 15 days
Hiranuma Kiichirō 20 November 1949 22 August 1952 82 years, 53 days 84 years, 329 days 2 years, 276 days
Keisuke Okada 22 August 1952 7 October 1952 84 years, 215 days 84 years, 261 days 46 days
Nobuyuki Abe 7 October 1952 7 September 1953 76 years, 318 days 77 years, 287 days 335 days
Shigeru Yoshida 7 September 1953 20 October 1967 74 years, 350 days 89 years, 28 days 14 years, 43 days
Tanzan Ishibashi 20 October 1967 25 April 1973 83 years, 25 days 88 years, 212 days 5 years, 187 days
Tetsu Katayama 25 April 1973 30 May 1978 85 years, 271 days 90 years, 306 days 5 years, 35 days
Naruhiko Higashikuni 30 May 1978 20 January 1990 90 years, 178 days 102 years, 48 days 11 years, 235 days
Takeo Fukuda 20 January 1990 5 July 1995 85 years, 6 days 90 years, 172 days 5 years, 166 days
Zenkō Suzuki 5 July 1995 19 July 2004 84 years, 175 days 93 years, 190 days 9 years, 14 days
Yasuhiro Nakasone 19 July 2004 29 November 2019 86 years, 53 days 101 years, 186 days 15 years, 133 days
Tomiichi Murayama 29 November 2019 – 95 years, 271 days – 1 year, 64 days
Prime MinisterStart dateEnd dateAge at startAge at endDuration

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  1. Died in office on this date.

References
  • "Prime Ministers in history".
  1. Updated daily according to UTC.
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