Ryutaro Hashimoto

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (January 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Ryūtarō Hashimoto Senior Second Rank
橋本 龍太郎
Official portrait, 1996
Prime Minister of Japan
In office 11 January 1996 – 30 July 1998
Monarch	Akihito
Deputy	Wataru Kubo
Preceded by	Tomiichi Murayama
Succeeded by	Keizō Obuchi
Deputy Prime Minister of Japan
In office 2 October 1995 – 11 January 1996
Prime Minister	Tomiichi Murayama
Preceded by	Yōhei Kōno
Succeeded by	Wataru Kubo
Minister of Finance
In office 28 January 1998 – 30 January 1998
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	Hiroshi Mitsuzuka
Succeeded by	Hikaru Matsunaga
In office 10 August 1989 – 14 October 1991
Prime Minister	Toshiki Kaifu
Preceded by	Tatsuo Murayama
Succeeded by	Toshiki Kaifu
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
In office 30 June 1994 – 11 January 1996
Prime Minister	Tomiichi Murayama
Preceded by	Eijiro Hata
Succeeded by	Shunpei Tsukahara
Minister of Transport
In office 22 July 1986 – 6 November 1987
Prime Minister	Yasuhiro Nakasone
Preceded by	Hiroshi Mitsuzuka
Succeeded by	Shintaro Ishihara
Minister of Health
In office 7 December 1978 – 9 November 1979
Prime Minister	Masayoshi Ōhira
Preceded by	Tatsuo Ozawa
Succeeded by	Kyoichi Noro
Member of the House of Representatives for Okayama 4th District Okayama 2nd District (1963-1996)
In office 21 November 1963 – 11 September 2005
Personal details
Born	(1937-07-29)29 July 1937 Sōja, Okayama, Japan
Died	1 July 2006(2006-07-01) (aged 68) Tokyo, Japan
Political party	Liberal Democratic Party
Children	Gaku Hashimoto
Relatives	Daijiro Hashimoto (brother)
Alma mater	Keio University
Signature

Ryutaro Hashimoto (橋本 龍太郎, Hashimoto Ryūtarō, 29 July 1937 – 1 July 2006) was a Japanese politician who served as the Prime Minister of Japan from 1996 to 1998. He was the leader of one of the largest factions within the ruling LDP through most of the 1990s and remained a powerful back-room player in Japanese politics until scandal forced him to resign his leadership position in 2004. Disgraced, he chose not to stand in the general election of 2005, and effectively retired from politics.