Japan's ex-LDP leader Yohei Kono dies at 89

Yohei Kono, former speaker of Japan's House of Representatives and former president of the Liberal Democratic Party, died on Monday at the age of 89, Japanese media reported on Wednesday.

Kono, born in 1937, was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1967 and served in such posts as chief cabinet secretary, foreign minister and deputy prime minister. In 1993, while serving as chief cabinet secretary, he issued the Kono Statement.

The statement acknowledged the Japanese military's direct involvement in setting up "comfort stations" and forcibly recruiting women on the Korean Peninsula, in China and elsewhere, offering an apology and reflecting on these actions.

Kono was known in China for his long-standing support for China-Japan friendship. He visited China many times, with his most recent trip taking place in June 2025, according to official Chinese releases. Leading a delegation of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade, Kono met with senior Chinese officials, including the country's top diplomat Wang Yi, in Beijing during the visit.

Wang said Kono had long been committed to the cause of China-Japan friendship and had remained steadfast in promoting friendly exchanges between the two countries even in the face of difficulties and challenges, which China highly appreciated.

Kono told Wang that history should not be forgotten, nor should it be denied, adding that the past cannot be changed, but the future can be shaped through effort.