With less than a week until the ruling Liberal Democratic Party chooses its next president, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, the candidate with a reputation as the guy to call in political emergencies, finds himself in third place in public opinion polls due to his experience and problem-solving abilities.
He was born on Jan. 19, 1961 ¡ª or ¡°119,¡± the emergency number for the fire department and ambulances ¡ª and his reputation for solving problems earned him the nickname of ¡°Mr. 119¡± in Nagatacho, Japan¡¯s political center.
The Harvard-educated Hayashi¡¯s resume includes ministerial stints in charge of agriculture, defense, education and foreign affairs, as well as his current position as the spokesperson of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba¡¯s administration.
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