- Suzuki, Zenko
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▪ 2005Japanese politician (b. Jan. 11, 1911, Yamada, Japan—d. July 19, 2004, Tokyo, Japan), served as prime minister of Japan from 1980 to 1982, when he suddenly announced that he would not run in the upcoming elections. Beginning in 1947, Suzuki was elected to the Diet (parliament) 13 times, holding several cabinet posts, and he was chosen a record 10 times to head the executive council of the Liberal Democratic Party. Nonetheless, he was regarded as sufficiently anonymous that observers were surprised when he was chosen for the top post. His tenure was noted for bringing Japan closer to the U.S. but also for a foreign policy misstep in relations with China.
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Universalium. 2010.