CONFIDENTIAL
VISIT OF THE JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER 21-22 MAY 1979
PERSONALITY NOTE: SUNAO SONODA
Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Born 1913.
1.
Mr Sonoda left school at 16 and joined the army where
he became an officer in a parachute regiment. He was elected
to the House of Representatives in 1947 and joined the Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP) on its formation.
In 1965 he was
appointed Deputy Speaker of the House and he had a successful
year as Minister of Health from 1967/68.
His own small
faction in the LDP broke up in 1972 in the party leadership
dispute and he led the majority of it into the Fukuda faction,
in which he then became a major figure. He was Chief Cabinet
Secretary in the first Fukuda Cabinet 1976/77, where he acted as
a trouble-shooter for the administration and played a leading
role in foreign affairs. He was the only member of the outgoing
Fukuda Cabinet to be re-appointed by the new Prime Minister,
Mr Ohira, in December 1978.
2.
As Foreign Minister Mr Sonoda is an advocate of a more
active role in international affairs for Japan. His first main
objective was the signature of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship
with China, and his performance since becoming Foreign Minister
in November 1977 has been highly rated in Japan. He visited
the USA in April to pave the way for Mr Ohira's visit earlier
this month, and he has just accompanied the Prime Minister to
UNCTAD V in Manila.
3.
Though Mr Sonoda speaks only Japanese, he has a
sophisticated understanding of international political issues and
his personal style is both pleasant and forthright.
FAR EASTERN DEPARTMENT
FOREIGN & COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
17 May 1979
CONFIDENTIAL
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