Shinzo Abe

Shinzo Abe is the former Prime Minister of Japan. He resigned on September 12, 2007. The resignation took effect on September 23, when Yasuo Fukuda was elected his successor. In addition to his political career, Abe wrote the book Toward a Beautiful Nation.

Fast Facts:

Abe began working for Kobe Steel in April, 1979. He left the company in 1982, to pursue positions within the government. In 1993, Abe was elected to the Yamaguchi Prefecture. In 1999, he became Director of the Social Affairs Division. Then in 2000, through 2003, he was the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary of the Yoshiro Mori and Junichiro Koizumi Cabinets. In 2006, he was elected as the President of the Liberal Democratic Party. On September 26 he was elected Prime Minister.

Sept. 21, 1954 -- Born in Tokyo; second son of Shintaro and Yoko Abe
March 1977 -- Graduates from the department of political science in the Faculty of Law at Seikei University in Tokyo and goes on to study politics at the University of Southern California
April 1979 -- Starts working at Kobe Steel Ltd.
November 1982 -- Leaves Kobe steel and becomes executive assistant to his father, who is foreign minister.
May 1991 -- Father dies.
July 1993 -- Wins his first House of Representatives seat, running for the Liberal Democratic Party in his father's constituency in Yamaguchi Prefecture
July 2000 -- Becomes deputy chief Cabinet secretary in the second Cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.
April 2001 -- Remains deputy chief Cabinet secretary in Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's first Cabinet.
September 2003 -- Becomes LDP secretary general.
September 2004 -- Becomes acting LDP secretary general.
September 2005 -- Wins fifth term in Lower House.
October 2005 -- Becomes a Cabinet member for the first time as chief Cabinet secretary in Koizumi's third Cabinet.
Sept. 1, 2006 -- As expected, announces he will run in the LDP presidential election.
Sept. 20, 2006 -- Wins the LDP election, beating Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki.