Abe, Shintaro

1924 - Born on the 29th of April.

1986 - He led a major Liberal Democratic Party faction.

         - He became Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Minister of Trade.

         - He was Minister of Foreign Affairs within the Government of Yasuhiro Nakasone in July.

1987 - He was a top contender to succeed Nakasone as Prime Minister.

1988 - His chances of becoming Prime Minister sometime in a near future were again thwarted when his

                name became associated with the Recruit-Cosmos insider-trading stock scandal.

          - He was forced by Takeshita to resign as the party General Secretary in December.

1991 - He died on the 15th of May.