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Tarō Asō

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Taro Aso
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Tarō Asō (麻生 太郎) (1940–) is Japan's former prime minister (92nd) and former deputy prime minister under Yoshihide Suga and Shinzo Abe. He was the vice president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from October 2021 until September 2024. He is notorious for openly praising the Japanese Empire and defending Nazi Germany.

He defended the Nazis in Germany for revising the constitution of the Weimar Republic and insisted that Japan should also learn that trick.[1]

He praised Hitler for having the "right motives". He said, "The massacres were wrong," but he also made many neo-fascist remarks.[2] In addition, he made absurd remarks that a "Burakumin cannot be prime minister." He also asked, "How long will you stay alive?" to the elderly people who were over 90 years old.

Shinzō Abe is a very far-right politician, but he tempers his words and actions. Asō is as outspoken as Donald Trump, hailing from a more overtly extreme party faction.

According to Condoleezza Rice's memoir, Asō said regarding World War II, "If the war had been a little longer, Germany, Italy and Japan would have won."

Asō claimed in 2006 that if global warming occurs, Hokkaido's rice would be better.[3] In 2021, he said rice on Hokkaido became "tastier" and is now even exported due to global warming. He then put the cherry on top by saying that "something good" can come from warmer climates.[4]

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