Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda died at the age of 90

O former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who took office between 2007 and 2008, died at the age of 90, announced today a representative of the Liberal Democratic Party (PLD, conservative).

Fukuda died on October 22, the PLD representative informed the AFP news agency.

The former Prime Minister ruled the country for a year, starting in September 2007, succeeding Shinzo Abe, whose first term of office at the head of the government lasted only 12 months.

During his period in power, Yasuo Fukuda sought to improve relations with China and invited Chinese President Hu Jintao to visit Japan.

Hu's journey in May 2008 made him the first Chinese head of state to visit Japan in a decade.

At the time, the two leaders issued a joint statement, committing themselves to establishing a “inter-beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests”.

Fukuda resigned in September 2008, due to the fall of his popularity, and withdrew from political life in 2012.

However, at a time when relations between Tokyo and Beijing were deteriorating — due to territorial disputes in an archipelago and historical differences — Fukuda moved to China in 2014 for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The initiative paved the way for a summit between Xi and Shinzo Abe during the latter's second term.

“Yasuo Fukuda was an old friend of the Chinese people and made a positive contribution to promoting the improvement and development of relations between China and Japan,” Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a press conference.

Guo praised “the integrity and sense of responsibility of the old generation of Japanese statesmen” and urged “the current Japanese leadership” to “make a self-criticism”.

Relations between Beijing and Tokyo deteriorated markedly under the mandate of the current Japanese Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, after the ruler suggested that Japan could intervene militarily in the event of an attack on Taiwan, an island Beijing claims as part of its territory.