By Mardiyyah Abubakar
Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has died at the age of 90, a ruling party official confirmed on Monday.
Fukuda died on October 22, according to an official of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
He served as prime minister from September 2007 to September 2008, succeeding Shinzo Abe, whose first term ended after about a year.
During his time in office, Fukuda worked to strengthen Japan’s diplomatic relations with China. He invited then-Chinese President Hu Jintao to Japan in May 2008, marking the first visit by a Chinese head of state to the country in a decade.
The two leaders issued a joint statement pledging to build a mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests.
However, Fukuda resigned in September 2008 as his approval ratings declined.
Despite leaving office, he continued to support diplomatic engagement between Japan and China.
In 2014, Fukuda visited China for talks with President Xi Jinping as tensions between Tokyo and Beijing grew over disputed islands and historical issues.
His diplomatic efforts helped pave the way for a summit between Xi and Abe during Abe’s second term as prime minister.
Fukuda retired from politics in 2012.
