Ritsuko Nagao

Ritsuko Nagao
長尾 立子
Minister of Justice
In office
11 January 1996 – 7 November 1996
Prime MinisterRyutaro Hashimoto
Preceded byHiroshi Miyazawa
Succeeded byIsao Matsuura
Member of the House of Councillors
In office
19 May 1997 – 25 July 1998
Preceded byHitoshi Shimasaki
Succeeded byMulti-member district
ConstituencyNational PR
Personal details
Born(1933-05-01)1 May 1933
Died10 January 2026(2026-01-10) (aged 92)
PartyLiberal Democratic
Alma materUniversity of Tokyo

Ritsuko Nagao (Japanese: 長尾立子, romanizedNagao Ritsuko; 1 May 1933 – 10 January 2026) was a Japanese politician who was the first woman to serve as the Minister of Justice.[1]

In 1996, Nagao was appointed to the Cabinet of Japan as the Minister of Justice by Ryutaro Hashimoto, where she was the only woman and only appointee who was not a member of Parliament already.[1][2][3][4][5] Before her appointment as the Minister of Justice, she worked as a bureaucrat in the Health and Welfare Ministry.[1]

Nagao died on 10 January 2026, at the age of 92.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c Pollack, Andrew (12 January 1996). "A Change in Japan? Style, Not Direction". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Hashimoto names new cabinet and pledges to give strong leadership". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  3. ^ The statesman's year-book : a statistical, political and economic account of the states of the world for the year 1996-1997. Brian Hunter, Palgrave Connect (133rd ed.). London: Macmillan. 1996. p. 761. ISBN 978-0-230-27125-8. OCLC 609405750.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. ^ Watanabe, Teresa (12 January 1996). "Vote Puts Japan's Former Ruling Party Back at Helm". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Prime Minister: Ryutaro Hashimoto of the Liberal Democratic Party..." UPI. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  6. ^ "元全社協会長、長尾立子氏逝く 女性初の法務大臣". Fukushi Shimbun. 19 January 2026. Retrieved 20 January 2026.