Sunao Sonoda

was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) who served as minister for foreign affairs and minister of health and welfare. He was called "flying foreign minister" due to his active diplomacy in increasing the role of Japan when he was in office. He was one of the significant figures in normalizing the relations between Japan and China.

Early life Sonoda was born in Kumamoto Prefecture on 11 December 1913.

Career

Sonoda joined the Japanese army in 1938, and served both in China and in the Pacific area during World War II. He served as parliamentary vice-foreign minister in 1955, and actively involved in normalizing the relations between Japan and the USSR. from 20 December 1965 to 27 December 1966 and from 15 February 1967 to 25 November 1967. He served as minister of health and welfare from 1967 to 1968,

Within the LDP Sonoda was against the Nakasone faction and formed his own. He and the members of his faction joined the faction headed by Fukuda in 1972. However, he later left it and joined the faction headed by Masayoshi Ōhira.

Minister of foreign affairs Sonoda served as minister of foreign affairs three times: in the cabinet of Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda from November 1977 to December 1978, in the cabinet of Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira from December 1978 to November 1979, and in the cabinet of Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki from 17 May to 30 November 1981.

During his first term in the ministry of foreign affairs, Japan signed the treaty of peace and friendship with China. This treaty formed the basis of the relationships between two countries. He also traveled South America in August 1979.

On 17 May 1981, Sonoda was appointed by Prime Minister and his close friend Zenko Suzuki as foreign minister for the last time due to unexpected resignation of the former Foreign Minister Masayoshi Ito. Sonoda called for adopting the omnidirectional diplomacy and unlike his two predecessors, issued entry visas to Soviet economic delegations. The reason for Sonoda's removal from his post was his blunt remarks concerning U.S. policies in June 1981 as well as his other statements detrimental to Japan's relations with South Korea.

Personal life Sunao Sonoda married twice. His son from the first marriage, Hiroyuki Sonoda, ran for his father seat in the Kumamoto Prefecture in the general elections of 1986. Sonoda'a second wife, Tenkoko Sonoda, also tried to take over her husband's seat in the same election following his death. They married after World War II and had two children.

Death Sonoda died of kidney failure at the hospital of Keio University in Tokyo on 2 April 1984.

Honours National honour Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (2 April 1984; posthumous)

Foreign honour Bolivia: Grand Cross of the Order of the Condor of the Andes (6 July 1978) Chile : Grand Cross of the Order of the Bernardo O'Higgins (21 August 1979)