This is a list ofJapanese prime ministers by longevity. It consists of Prime Ministersand Interim Prime Ministers of Japan who have held the office. If a prime minister served more than one non-consecutive term, the dates given are for the beginning of their first term, and the end of their last term. To avoid confusion and maintain consistency, the name of the Prime Ministers are listed in the Western style. Where the person in question is still living, the longevity is calculated up to.
Overview
The median age of a Prime Minister first taking office is 61 years and 61 days. This falls between Keizō Obuchi and Katō Tomosaburō. The youngest Prime Minister was the first, Hirobumi Itō, who took office at the age of 44 years, 67 days. The oldest Prime Minister to first take office was Kantarō Suzuki, who became Prime Minister at the age of 77 years, 79 days. The oldest living Prime Minister is Tomiichi Murayama, born 3 March 1924. The youngest living former Prime Minister is Yoshihiko Noda, born 20 May 1957. The longest-lived Prime Minister was Naruhiko Higashikuni, who died at the age of 102 years, 48 days. If the oldest living Prime Minister, Murayama, lives to 20 April 2026, he will tie this record. The shortest-lived Prime Minister was Sanetomi Sanjō, who died at the age of 53 years and 352 days. The Prime Minister with the longest retirement is Naruhiko Higashikuni. He left office on 9 October 1945, and died 44 years and 103 days later on 20 January 1990. The Prime Minister with the shortest retirement is Keizō Obuchi, who died on 14 May 2000, 39 days after leaving office on 5 April 2000.
Not all prime ministers live to become the oldest of their time. Of the 54 deceased prime ministers, 18 eventually became the oldest of their time, while 36 did not. Matsukata Masayoshi became the oldest living prime minister when he was appointed in 1891 and remained so until his death in 1924, for a record 33 years and 55 days. Keisuke Okada became the oldest living prime minister after the death of Hiranuma Kiichirō, but he survived Kiichirō by only 46 days. On three occasions the oldest living prime minister lost this distinction not by his death, but due to the appointment of a prime minister who was older. Itō Hirobumi lost this distinction when Kuroda Kiyotaka was appointed. Kuroda Kiyotaka lost this distinction when Sanjō Sanetomi was appointed. Yamagata Aritomo lost this distinction when Matsukata Masayoshi was appointed. Tomiichi Murayama was the oldest to acquire this distinction at the age of 95 years, and 217 days. Nobusuke Kishi, who was 90 years, and 297 days old when he died on 7 August 1987 is the oldest prime minister to die without ever acquiring this distinction. Tsutomu Hata, who was 82 years, and 4 days old when he died on 28 August 2017 is the most recent prime minister to die without ever acquiring this distinction.
