UNO SOSUKE

born Aug. 27, 1922, Shiga prefecture, Japan died May 19, 1998, Moriyama politician who served as prime minister of Japan for 68 days (June 2Aug. 9, 1989). The son of a wealthy brewer, Uno attended the Kobe University of Commerce, served in the army in World War II, and was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1960. He served in various ministerial posts before the Liberal-Democratic Party chose him to be prime minister. He was chosen largely by default, he being one of the few politicians without links to the influence-peddling and bribery scandals that brought down the ministry of his predecessor, Takeshita Noboru. Ironically, Uno was soon compelled to resign as a result of media reports that he had had an extramarital affair and by the Liberal-Democrats' severe losses in the parliamentary elections of July 1989. He continued to serve in various government posts until he retired from politics in 1996.