Wataru Asō | |
|---|---|
| 麻生 渡 | |
 | |
| Governor ofFukuoka Prefecture | |
| In office April 1995 – April 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Hachirō Tsuji |
| Succeeded by | Hiroshi Ogawa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1939-05-15)15 May 1939 Kitakyushu,Japan |
| Died | 15 March 2025(2025-03-15) (aged 85) Fukuoka City, Japan |
| Political party | Independent |
| Alma mater | Kyoto University |
| Occupation | Bureaucrat, politician |
| Awards | Order of the Rising Sun |
Wataru Asō (麻生 渡,Asō Wataru, 15 May 1939 – 15 March 2025) was a Japanese bureaucrat and politician who served as the Governor ofFukuoka from 1995 to 2011.[1] From 2005 to 2011 he was also President of theNational Governors Association (Japan) (全国知事会,Zenkoku Chiji-kai).
Wataru Asō was born in Tobata City,Fukuoka Prefecture (nowTobata ward,Kitakyushu city). After graduating from Fukuoka Prefectural Tobata High School, he went on to study atGraduate School of Law and Faculty of Law, Kyoto University. Upon graduating in 1963, he joined theMinistry of International Trade and Industry (MITI).
During his career as a bureaucrat, Asō held several key positions within MITI, including roles in energy, trade policy, industrial planning, and foreign affairs. Some of his notable appointments include:
Asō was Governor ofFukuoka Prefecture from 1995 to 2011.
In the 1995 Fukuoka gubernatorial election, Asō ran as an independent candidate and won. He was re-elected in 1999, 2003, and 2007, serving four consecutive terms until 2011.
During his tenure, he promoted regional development, industrial innovation, and decentralization policies, while also advocating for increased autonomy for local governments.
In 2005, he was elected as the 10th president of theNational Governors Association, marking the first time in history that an election was held for the position.
Despite contemplating a fifth term, he decided against running for re-election due to growing criticism of long-term incumbency and a corruption scandal involving a former deputy governor. He stepped down in April 2011, and his successor,Hiroshi Ogawa, was endorsed as his preferred candidate.
Following his retirement from politics, Asō remained active in business and academia:
On 15 March 2025, Wataru Asō passed away at the age of 85 from pancreatic cancer at Kyushu University Hospital in Fukuoka City.[1]
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