Yoshirō Hayashi

was a Japanese politician who was Minister of Finance from 1992 to 1993 and Minister of Health and Welfare from 1982 to 1983. He was elected ten times as a member of the House of Representatives since 1969.

Early life and education Hayashi was born in 1927 and was from Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture. His grandfather was a member of the House of Peers before World War II.

Hayashi graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1950. He served in the House of Representatives, first elected in 1969. In August 1989, Hayashi joined Shintaro Ishihara and Toshiki Kaifu to ran for the presidency of the LDP, but lost to Kaifu, who won the election as prime minister, replacing Sosuke Uno in the post. Hayashi replaced Tsutomu Hata in the post. Hayashi's tenure ended on 9 August 1993 when Hirohisa Fujii became finance minister. As of 1998 he served as a special envoy of Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto.

In 2003 Hayashi ended his involvement in politics after serving in the House of Representatives ten times. His eldest son, Yoshimasa, is also a Japanese politician and held different cabinet posts.

Hayashi died from multiple organ failure in Tokyo hospital on 3 February 2017 at the age of 89.