List of spouses of Prime Ministers of Japan

The First Lady of Japan (内閣総理大臣夫人, Naikakusōridaijinfujin) is the wife of the Prime Minister of Japan.

First Lady of Japan
Incumbent Mariko Suga since 16 September 2020
Residence	Kantei
Inaugural holder	Itō Umeko
Formation	19 October 1900

Role and duties

The role of the Prime Minister's consort is not an official position, and so they are not given a salary or official duties.

Spouse of the Prime Ministers of the Empire of Japan (1885–1947)

Spouse of the Prime Ministers during the Meiji period (1885–1912)

• Under the Meiji Emperor

	Spouse	Tenure began	Tenure ended	Prime Minister
1	Itō Umeko[1] 伊藤 梅子 Itō Umeko	22 December 1885	30 April 1888	Itō Hirobumi
2	Kuroda Taki[2] 黑田 滝 Kuroda Taki	30 April 1888	25 October 1889	Kuroda Kiyotaka
3	Yamagata Tomoko[3] 山縣 友子 Yamagata Tomoko	24 December 1889	6 May 1891	Yamagata Aritomo
4	Matsukata Masako[4] 松方 滿佐子 Matsukata Masako	6 May 1891	8 August 1892	Matsukata Masayoshi
(1)	Itō Umeko 伊藤 梅子 Itō Umeko	8 August 1892	31 August 1896	Itō Hirobumi
(4)	Matsukata Masako 松方 滿佐子 Matsukata Masako	18 September 1896	12 January 1898	Matsukata Masayoshi
(1)	Itō Umeko 伊藤 梅子 Itō Umeko	12 January 1898	30 June 1898	Itō Hirobumi
5	Ōkuma Ayako[5] 大隈 綾子 Ōkuma Ayako	30 June 1898	8 November 1898	Ōkuma Shigenobu
(3)	Yamagata Tomoko 山縣 友子 Yamagata Tomoko	8 November 1898	19 October 1900	Yamagata Aritomo
(1)	Itō Umeko 伊藤 梅子 Itō Umeko	19 October 1900	10 May 1901	Itō Hirobumi
6	Katsura Kanako[6] 桂 可那子 Katsura Kanako	2 June 1901	7 January 1906	Katsura Tarō
-	Vacant	7 January 1906	14 July 1908	Saionji Kinmochi
6	Katsura Kanako 桂 可那子 Katsura Kanako	14 July 1908	30 August 1911	Katsura Tarō
-	Vacant	30 August 1911	21 December 1912	Saionji Kinmochi

Spouse of the Prime Ministers during the Taishō period (1912–1926)

• Under the Taishō Emperor

	Spouse	Tenure began	Tenure ended	Prime Minister
6	Katsura Kanako 桂 可那子 Katsura Kanako	21 December 1912	20 February 1913	Katsura Tarō
7	Yamamoto Tokiko[7] 山本 登喜子 Yamamoto Tokiko	20 February 1913	16 April 1914	Yamamoto Gonnohyōe
(5)	Ōkuma Ayako 大隈 綾子 Ōkuma Ayako	16 April 1914	9 October 1916	Ōkuma Shigenobu
8	Terauchi Takiko[8] 寺内 タキコ Terauchi Takiko	9 October 1916	29 September 1918	Terauchi Masatake
9	Hara Asa[9] 原 淺 Hara Asa	29 September 1918	4 November 1921	Hara Takashi
10	Takahashi Shina[10] 高橋 志な Takahashi Shina	13 November 1921	12 June 1922	Takahashi Korekiyo
11	Kiyoko Katō[11] 加藤 喜代子 Katō Kiyoko	12 June 1922	24 August 1923	Katō Tomosaburō
(7)	Yamamoto Tokiko 山本 登喜子 Yamamoto Tokiko	2 September 1923	7 January 1924	Yamamoto Gonnohyōe
12	Kiyoura Tōko[12] 清浦 錬子 Kiyoura Tōko	7 January 1924	11 June 1924	Kiyoura Keigo
13	Katō Haruji[13] 加藤 春路 Katō Haruji	11 June 1924	28 January 1926	Katō Takaaki
14	Tokuko Wakatsuki[14] 若槻 德子 Wakatsuki Tokuko	28 January 1926	20 April 1927	Wakatsuki Reijirō

Spouse of the Prime Ministers during the Shōwa period (1926–1947)

• Under the Shōwa Emperor

	Spouse	Tenure began	Tenure ended	Prime Minister
15	Sute Tanaka[15] 田中 壽天 Tanaka Sute	20 April 1927	2 July 1929	Tanaka Giichi
16	Natsu Hamaguchi[16] 濱口 夏 Hamaguchi Natsu	2 July 1929	14 April 1931	Osachi Hamaguchi
(14)	Tokuko Wakatsuki 若槻 德子 Wakatsuki Tokuko	14 April 1931	13 December 1931	Wakatsuki Reijirō
17	Chiyoko Inukai[17] 犬養 千代子 Inukai Chiyoko	13 December 1931	15 May 1932	Inukai Tsuyoshi
18	Haruko Saitō[18] 齋藤 春子 Saitō Haruko	26 May 1932	8 July 1934	Saitō Makoto
-	Vacant	8 July 1934	9 March 1936	Keisuke Okada
19	Shizuko Hirota[19] 廣田 静子 Hirota Shizuko	9 March 1936	2 February 1937	Kōki Hirota
20	Hatsu Hayashi[20] 林 初治 Hayashi Hatsu	2 February 1937	4 June 1937	Senjūrō Hayashi
21	Chiyoko Konoe[21] 近衞 千代子 Konoe Chiyoko	4 June 1937	5 January 1939	Fumimaro Konoe
-	Vacant	5 January 1939	30 August 1939	Hiranuma Kiichirō
22	Mitsuko Abe[22] 阿部 みつ子 Abe Mitsuko	30 August 1939	16 January 1940	Nobuyuki Abe
23	Koma Yonai[23] 米内 こま Yonai Koma	16 January 1940	22 July 1940	Mitsumasa Yonai
(21)	Chiyoko Konoe 近衞 千代子 Konoe Chiyoko	22 July 1940	18 October 1941	Fumimaro Konoe
24	Katsuko Tōjō[24] 東條 かつ子 Tōjō Katsuko	17 October 1941	22 July 1944	Hideki Tōjō
25	Kaoruko Koiso[25] 小磯 馨子 Koiso Kaoruko	22 July 1944	7 April 1945	Kuniaki Koiso
26	Taka Suzuki[26] 鈴木 たか Suzuki Taka	7 April 1945	17 August 1945	Kantarō Suzuki
27	Toshiko Higashikuni[27] 東久邇 聡子 Higashikuni Toshiko	17 August 1945	9 October 1945	Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni
28	Masako Shidehara[28] 幣原 雅子 Shidehara Masako	9 October 1945	22 May 1946	Kijūrō Shidehara
29	Kiyoko Yoshida[29] 吉田 喜代子 Yoshida Kiyoko	22 May 1946	24 May 1947	Shigeru Yoshida

Spouse of the Prime Ministers of the State of Japan (1947–present)

Spouse of the Prime Ministers during the Shōwa period (1947–1989)

• Under the Shōwa Emperor

	Spouse	Tenure began	Tenure ended	Prime Minister
30	Kikue Katayama[30] 片山 菊江 Katayama Kikue	24 May 1947	10 March 1948	Tetsu Katayama
31	Sumi Ashida[31] 芦田 壽美 Ashida Sumi	10 March 1948	15 October 1948	Hitoshi Ashida
(29)	Kiyoko Yoshida 吉田 喜代子 Yoshida Kiyoko	15 October 1948	10 December 1954	Shigeru Yoshida
32	Kaoru Hatoyama[32] 鳩山 薫 Kaoru Hatoyama	10 December 1954	23 December 1956	Ichirō Hatoyama
33	Ume Ishibashi[33] 石橋 うめ Ishibashi Ume	23 December 1956	25 February 1957	Tanzan Ishibashi
34	Yoshiko Kishi[34] 岸 良子 Kishi Yoshiko	25 February 1957	19 July 1960	Nobusuke Kishi
35	Mitsue Ikeda[35] 池田 滿枝 Ikeda Mitsue	19 July 1960	9 November 1964	Hayato Ikeda
36	Hiroko Satō[36] 佐藤 寛子 Satō Hiroko	9 November 1964	7 July 1972	Eisaku Satō
37	Hana Tanaka[37] 田中 はな Tanaka Hana	7 July 1972	9 December 1974	Kakuei Tanaka
38	Mutsuko Miki[38] 三木 睦子 Miki Mutsuko	9 December 1974	24 December 1976	Takeo Miki
39	Mie Fukuda[39] 福田 三枝 Fukuda Mie	24 December 1976	7 December 1978	Takeo Fukuda
40	Shigeko Ōhira[40] 大平 志げ子 Ōhira Shigeko	7 December 1978	12 June 1980	Masayoshi Ōhira
41	Sachi Suzuki[41] 鈴木 さち Suzuki Sachi	12 June 1980	27 November 1982	Zenkō Suzuki
42	Tsutako Nakasone[42] 中曾 根蔦子 Nakasone Tsutako	27 November 1982	6 November 1987	Yasuhiro Nakasone
43	Naoko Takeshita[43] 竹下 直子 Takeshita Naoko	6 November 1987	3 June 1989	Noboru Takeshita

Spouses of the Prime Ministers during the Heisei period (1989–2019)

• Under Emperor Akihito

	Spouse	Tenure began	Tenure ended	Prime Minister
44	Chiyo Uno[44] 宇野 千代 Uno Chiyo	3 June 1989	10 August 1989	Sōsuke Uno
45	Sachiyo Kaifu[45] 海部 幸世 Kaifu Sachiyo	10 August 1989	5 November 1991	Toshiki Kaifu
46	Yoko Miyazawa[46] 宮澤 庸子 Miyazawa Yōko	5 November 1991	9 August 1993	Kiichi Miyazawa
47	Kayoko Hosokawa[47] 細川 佳代子 Hosokawa Kayoko	9 August 1993	28 April 1994	Morihiro Hosokawa
48	Ayako Hata[48] 羽田 綏子 Hata Ayako	28 April 1994	30 June 1994	Tsutomu Hata
49	Yoshie Murayama[49] 村山 ヨシヱ Murayama Yoshie	30 June 1994	11 January 1996	Tomiichi Murayama
50	Kumiko Hashimoto[50] 橋本 久美子 Hashimoto Kumiko	11 January 1996	30 July 1998	Ryutaro Hashimoto
51	Chizuko Obuchi[51] 小渕 千鶴子 Obuchi Chizuko	30 July 1998	5 April 2000	Keizō Obuchi
52	Chieko Mori[52] 森 智恵子 Mori Chieko	5 April 2000	26 April 2001	Yoshirō Mori
–	None	26 April 2001	26 September 2006	Junichirō Koizumi
53	Akie Abe[53] 安倍 昭恵 Abe Akie	26 September 2006	26 September 2007	Shinzō Abe
54	Kiyoko Fukuda[54] 福田 貴代子 Fukuda Kiyoko	26 September 2007	24 September 2008	Yasuo Fukuda
55	Chikako Asō[55] 麻生 千賀子 Asō Chikako	24 September 2008	16 September 2009	Tarō Asō
56	Miyuki Hatoyama[56] 鳩山 幸 Hatoyama Miyuki	16 September 2009	8 June 2010	Yukio Hatoyama
57	Nobuko Kan[57] 菅 伸子 Kan Nobuko	8 June 2010	2 September 2011	Naoto Kan
58	Hitomi Noda[58] 野田 仁実 Noda Hitomi	2 September 2011	26 December 2012	Yoshihiko Noda
(53)	Akie Abe 安倍 昭恵 Abe Akie	26 December 2012	16 September 2020	Shinzō Abe

Spouse of the Prime Ministers during the Naruhito period (2019–present)

• Under Emperor Naruhito

	Spouse	Tenure began	Tenure ended	Prime Minister
59	Mariko Suga 菅 真理子 Suga Mariko	16 September 2020	Incumbent	Yoshihide Suga

References

1. Rose, Barbara (1992). Tsuda Umeko and Women's Education in Japan. Yale University Press. p. 63. ISBN 0300051778.
2. Japan Weekly Mail. 23 June 1906. p. 658.
3. Fudō, Takeshi (15 June 1999). "山県友子" [Yamagata Tomoko]. Meiji people file (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 January 2018.
4. Reischauer, Haru Matsukata (1986). Samurai and Silk: A Japanese and American heritage. Harvard University Press. p. 2. ISBN 9780674788015.
5. Oka, Yoshitake (1986). Five political leaders of modern Japan: Itō Hirobumi, Ōkuma Shigenobu, Hara Takashi, Inukai Tsuyoshi, and Saionji Kimmochi. University of Tokyo Press. p. 69. ISBN 9780860083795.
6. Lone, S. (23 May 2000). Army, Empire and Politics in Meiji Japan: THe Three Careers of Katsura Taro. Springer. p. 90. ISBN 9781403919632.
7. Time. 21. Time Incorporated. 1933. p. 107.
8. The Herald of Asia: A Review of Life and Progress in the Orient. 3. 1917. p. 387.
9. "Takashi Hara". Prominent People of Minato City. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
10. Smethurst, Richard J. (2007). From Foot Soldier to Finance Minister: Takahashi Korekiyo, Japan's Keynes. Harvard University Asia Center. p. 59. ISBN 9780674026018.
11. Staff writer(s); no by-line. (1941). https://books.google.com/books?id=vDc5AQAAIAAJ&q=%22Kiyo+Kato%22&dq=%22Kiyo+Kato%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjI257itb_YAhVJNSYKHWtpDNoQ6AEINjAC. Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Limited. p. 368. External link in |title= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
12. "世界をこころに能動的に人生をつくる日本女性の才能を伸ばし教養を高め夢を育てます（品川女子学院中等部）". Asahi Shimbun Digital (in Japanese). 10 June 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
13. Japan Journal of Finance and Commerce. 1951. p. 11.
14. "London Treaty Enhances Amity". Hoji Shinbun Digital Collection. Tokyo: The Nippu Jiji. 18 June 1930. p. 10. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
15. "「田中 義一」の家系" ["Tanaka Giichi" family line]. Omoide Album (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 January 2018.
16. Who's Who in Japan, with Manchukuo and China. 1915. p. 86.
17. "Murdered Prime Minister of Japan and His Family". Newspapers.com. The Pittsburgh Press. 16 May 1932. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
18. Inahara, Katsuji (1937). The Japan Year Book. 5. Foreign Affairs Association of Japan. p. 138.
19. Stevens, John (13 August 2013). The Way of Judo: A Portrait of Jigoro Kano and His Students. Shambhala Publications. ISBN 9780834829015.
20. Who's Who in Japan. 21. Who's Who in Japan Office. 1939. p. 171.
21. Oka, Yoshitake (1983). Konoe Fumimaro: a political biography. University of Tokyo Press. p. 8. ISBN 9780860083047.
22. "「阿部 信行」の家系" ["Nobuyuki Abe" family line]. Omoide Album (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 January 2018.
23. Who's Who in Japan. 21. Who's Who in Japan Office. 1939. p. 852.
24. Coffey, Thomas M. (1970). Imperial Tragedy: Japan in World War II, the First Days and the Last. World Publishing Company. p. 89.
25. Pan-Pacific Who's Who. Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Limited. 1941. p. 392.
26. Honjō, Shigeru; Hane, Mikizō (1982). Emperor Hirohito and His Chief Aide de Camp: The Honjō Diary, 1933-36. University of Tokyo Press. p. 43. ISBN 9780860083191.
27. "Toshiko Higashikuni". The New York Times. Tokyo: Associated Press. 5 March 1978. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
28. Morrison, George Ernest (1976). The Correspondence of G. E. Morrison 1912-1920. Cambridge University Press. p. 548. ISBN 9780521215619.
29. Downer, Lesley (2002-01-08). Women of the Pleasure Quarters: The Secret History of the Geisha. Crown/Archetype. ISBN 9780767909723.
30. Translations on People's Republic of China. JPRS. 1978. p. 93.
31. Watanabe, Akio (29 April 2016). The Prime Ministers of Postwar Japan, 1945–1995: Their Lives and Times. Lexington Books. p. 57. ISBN 9781498510028.
32. Itoh, Mayumi (2003). The Hatoyama Dynasty: Japanese Political Leadership Through the Generations. Springer. p. 2. ISBN 9781403981523.
33. Nolte, Sharon H. (1987). Liberalism in Modern Japan: Ishibashi Tanzan and His Teachers, 1905-1960. University of California Press. p. 112. ISBN 9780520057074.
34. Kurzman, Dan (1960). Kishi and Japan: The Search for the Sun. I. Obolensky. p. 85. ISBN 9780839210573.
35. Brown, James Robert (1999). The Ministry of Finance: Bureaucratic Practices and the Transformation of the Japanese Economy. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 173. ISBN 9781567202304.
36. Calder, Kent E. (21 February 1991). Crisis and Compensation: Public Policy and Political Stability in Japan, 1949-1986. Princeton University Press. p. 524. ISBN 0691023387.
37. Schlesinger, Jacob M. (1999). Shadow Shoguns: The Rise and Fall of Japan's Postwar Political Machine. Stanford University Press. p. 29. ISBN 9780804734578.
38. "Japanese activist, ex-first lady Mutsuko Miki dies at 95". The Japan Times. Kyodo News. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
39. Daily Report: People's Republic of China, Issues 203-211. National Technical Information Service. 1978. p. 4.
40. Rothacher, Albrecht (27 July 2016). The Japanese Power Elite. Springer. p. 88. ISBN 9781349229932.
41. Official Gazette. 77. 1981. p. 91.
42. Lohr, Steve (27 November 1982). "Man in the News; Japan's New Prime Minister: Yasuhiro Nakasone". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
43. Haberman, Clyde (20 October 1987). "Man in the News; A 'Step-by-Step' Leader for Japan: Noboru Takeshita". The New York Times. Tokyo. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
44. Yunoki, Hiroshi; Numata, Daisuke (1988). 宇野宗佑・全人像 [Sōsuke Uno・Whole Figure] (in Japanese). 行研. p. 121.
45. Weisman, Steven R. (9 August 1989). "Man in the News: Toshiki Kaifu; Japan's Troubled Successor". The New York Times. Tokyo. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
46. Lee, Hsien Loong (29 June 2007). "Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Condolence Letter to Mrs. Yoko Miyazawa" (PDF). National Archives of Singapore. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
47. Japanese Magazine Review. The Office. 1994. p. 35.
48. Daily Report: East Asia, Issues 94-104. The Service. 16 May 1994. p. 20.
49. Daily Summary of Japanese Press. American Embassy. 1996. p. 17.
50. Hashimoto, Kumiko (19 April 2007). "Remarks by Mrs Kumiko Hashimoto, Wife of former Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto". World Health Organization. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
51. Sims, Calvin (15 May 2000). "Keizo Obuchi, Premier Who Brought Stability as Japan's Economy Faltered, Dies at 62". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
52. Daily Summary of Japanese Press. American Embassy. 2000. p. 38.
53. Estepa, Jessica (20 July 2017). "Despite what President Trump said, Japan's Akie Abe does speak English". USA Today. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
54. "Luncheon hosted by Mrs. Kiyoko Fukuda" (PDF). Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 8 July 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
55. Daily Summary of Japanese Press. American Embassy. 2006. p. 23.
56. "Japan's new first lady says rode UFO to Venus". Reuters. 2 September 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
57. Lah, Kyung (23 July 2010). "Japanese PM slammed by wife in new book". CNN. Tokyo. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
58. "'First lady' Hitomi Noda prefers to stay out of limelight". Japan Today. 1 September 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2018.