Protesters hold a picture of Japan's Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa and a larger chocolate during a Valentine's Day protest rally against Yanagisawa who described women as "birth-giving machines" in front of the Health Ministry in Tokyo February 14, 2007. The slogan on the chocolate reads, "We'll love you for resigning". REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon (JAPAN) 

Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa is seated during a question and answer session at a parliamentary budget committee in Tokyo February 7, 2007. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologised again in parliament for remarks by Yanagisawa calling women "birth-giving machines", but reiterated that he wanted the beleaguered cabinet minister to remain in his post. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa (REUTERS) 

Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa answers questions at a parliamentary budget committee in Tokyo February 7, 2007. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologised again in parliament for remarks by his health minister calling women "birth-giving machines", but reiterated that he wanted the beleaguered cabinet minister to remain in his post. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa (REUTERS) 

Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa takes a deep bow to apologise for his remarks, during a parliamentary budget committee in Tokyo February 7, 2007. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologised again in parliament for remarks by his health minister calling women "birth-giving machines", but reiterated that he wanted the beleaguered cabinet minister to remain in his post. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa (REUTERS) 

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks, while Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa is seated behind, during a question and answer session at a parliamentary budget committee in Tokyo February 7, 2007. Abe apologised again in parliament for remarks by his health minister calling women "birth-giving machines", but reiterated that he wanted the beleaguered cabinet minister to remain in his post. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa (REUTERS) 

Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa speaks at a parliamentary budget committee in Tokyo February 5, 2007. Japan's top government spokesman said on Monday Yanagisawa should stay in his post despite a furore over his reference to women as "birth giving machines", but pressure to resign looked unlikely to fade. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa (JAPAN) 

Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa rubs his face during a question and answer session at a parliamentary committee in Tokyo February 5, 2007. Japan's top government spokesman said on Monday Yanagisawa should stay in his post despite a furore over his reference to women as "birth giving machines", but pressure to resign looked unlikely to fade. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa (JAPAN) 

Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa (R) and Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma rub their faces during a question and answer session at a parliamentary committee in Tokyo February 5, 2007. Japan's top government spokesman said on Monday Yanagisawa should stay in his post despite a furore over his reference to women as "birth giving machines", but pressure to resign looked unlikely to fade. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa (JAPAN) 

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe raises his hand to answer questions at a parliamentary budget committee in Tokyo February 5, 2007. Japan's top government spokesman said on Monday Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa should stay in his post despite a furore over his reference to women as "birth giving machines", but pressure to resign looked unlikely to fade. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa (JAPAN) 

Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa listens to questions at a parliamentary budget committee in Tokyo February 5, 2007. Japan's top government spokesman said on Monday Yanagisawa should stay in his post despite a furore over his reference to women as "birth giving machines", but pressure to resign looked unlikely to fade. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa (JAPAN) 

Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa holds his head during a question and answer session at a parliamentary committee in Tokyo February 5, 2007. Japan's top government spokesman said on Monday Yanagisawa should stay in his post despite a furore over his reference to women as "birth giving machines", but pressure to resign looked unlikely to fade. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa (JAPAN) 

Women push their strollers as plum blossoms are seen at an urban park in Tokyo February 1, 2007. Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa's weekend reference to women as "birth-giving machines" has infuriated the public and prompted protests from both ruling and opposition party lawmakers. REUTERS/Kiyoshi Ota (JAPAN) 

Newly-elected Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (front C) poses with his cabinet members during a photo session at the premier's official residence in Tokyo September 26, 2006. Cabinet members are (front row L-R) Equality Minister Sanae Takaichi, Foreign Minister Taro Aso, Abe, Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma and Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Tetsuzo Fuyushiba. (2nd row L-R) Finance Minister Koji Omi, Financial Services Minister Yuji Yamamoto (behind Omi), Trade Minister Akira Amari, Health, Labour and Welfare Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa and Economics Minister Hiroko Ota. (3rd row L-R) Disaster Prevention and National Public Safety Commission Minister Kensei Mizote, Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Yoshihide Suga, Education Minister Bummei Ibuki, Environment Minister Masatoshi Wakabayashi, Justice Minister Jinen Nagase and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki. (4th row L-R) Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Genichiro Sata, minister of state for administrative reform and unidentified. REUTERS/Toru Hanai (JAPAN) 

Newly-elected Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (front 4th L) poses with his cabinet members during a photo session after attending an attestation ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Septemebr 26, 2006. Cabinet members are (Front row L-R), Education Minister Bummei Ibuki, Environment Minister Masatoshi Wakabayashi, Foreign Minister Taro Aso, Abe, Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma and Finance Minister Koji Omi. (Center row L-R), Justice Minister Jinen Nagase, Health, Welfare and Labour Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa, Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Yoshihide Suga, Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Tetsuzo Fuyushiba, Trade Minister Akira Amari and Economics Minister Hiroko Ota. (Top row L-R), Gender Equality, Science and Technology, Okinawa and Northern territories Minister Sanae Takaichi, Public Safety Commission Minister Kensei Mizote, Deregulation Minister Genichiro Sata, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Financial Services Minister Yuji Yamamoto, unidentified and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki. REUTERS/Issei Kato (JAPAN) 

Newly-elected Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) leads his cabinet members as they get into position for an official group photo at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo September 26, 2006. From L-R: Foreign Minister Taro Aso, Gender Equality Minister Sanae Takaichi, Trade Minister Akira Amari, Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa, and Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma are seen behind Abe. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao (JAPAN) 

Hakuo Yanagisawa, newly appointed Health, Labour and Welfare Minister, speaks at newly elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's official residence in Tokyo September 26, 2006. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao (JAPAN) 

Japan's Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa, whose job is the focus of attention in a cabinet reshuffle due later in the day, speaks during a news conference at his office in Tokyo September 30, 2002. [Yanagisawa said on Monday there was no split in opinion between the Financial Service Agency and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on how to clean up Japan's banking sector.] 

Japan's Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa bows as he concludes a
news conference at his office in Tokyo September 30, 2002. Yanagisawa lost
his post as financial services minister on Monday because he would not
resort to one of few avenues thought left to fix the nation's troubled
banking sector - an injection of public funds. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa

TA/PB 

Japan's Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa, whose job is the focus
of attention in a cabinet reshuffle due later in the day, speaks during a
news conference at his office in Tokyo September 30, 2002. Yanagisawa said
on Monday there was no split in opinion between the Financial Service Agency
and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on how to clean up Japan's banking
sector. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa

TA/DL/WS 

Japan's Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa, whose job is the focus
of attention in a cabinet reshuffle due later in the day, speaks during a
news conference at his office in Tokyo September 30, 2002. Yanagisawa said
on Monday there was no split in opinion between the Financial Service Agency
and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on how to clean up Japan's banking
sector. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa

TA 

Japan's Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa, whose job is the focus
of attention in a cabinet reshuffle due later in the day, arrives for a news
conference at his office in Tokyo September 30, 2002. Yanagisawa said on
Monday there was no split in opinion between the Financial Service Agency
and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on how to clean up Japan's banking
sector. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa

TA 

Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa speaks to reporters at his ministry in Tokyo September 18, 2002 after the Bank of Japan announced its decision to buy stocks from banks. Yanagisawa said that financial regulators would cooperate with the BOJ. "Details are still pending and there are various views, but we would like to cooperate," he said. The central bank sent a shockwave through financial markets with its announcement earlier in the day that it would consider new measures to prompt the disposal of banks' massive shareholdings, including buying shares directly from banks. 

Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa speaks to reporters at his
ministry in Tokyo September 18, 2002 after the Bank of Japan announced its
decision to buy stocks from banks. Yanagisawa said that financial regulators
would cooperate with the BOJ. "Details are still pending and there are
various views, but we would like to cooperate," he said. The central bank
sent a shockwave through financial markets with its announcement earlier in
the day that it would consider new measures to prompt the disposal of banks'
massive shareholdings, including buying shares directly from banks.
REUTERS/Eriko Sugita

ES/CP 

Japan's Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa (L) listens to a
briefing by Kikuo Kagoshima (R), managing directer at Tokyo Stock Exchange,
in Tokyo April 25, 2002. Yanagisawa inspected Japan's biggest securities
bourse for the first time since his appointment as Financial Services
Minister. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

YN/JD 

Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA) Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa speaks to reporters at his ministry in Tokyo April 12, 2002, as Japan cast new light into the depths of its bad debt mess with the FSA's report on bank inspections. [The report, widely awaited for a more realistic view of just how much bad debt banks have on their books, forced Japan's top seven banking groups to top up loan-loss charges by 1.9 trillion yen ($14.5 billion) for the year to March 31.] 

Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA) Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa speaks to
reporters at his ministry in Tokyo April 12, 2002, as Japan cast new light
into the depths of its bad debt mess with the FSA's report on bank
inspections. The report, widely awaited for a more realistic view of just
how much bad debt banks have on their books, forced Japan's top seven
banking groups to top up loan-loss charges by 1.9 trillion yen ($14.5
billion) for the year to March 31. REUTERS/Eriko Sugita

ES/RCS 

Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA) Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa speaks to
reporters at his ministry in Tokyo April 12, 2002, as Japan cast new light
into the depths of its bad debt mess with the FSA's report on bank
inspections. The report, widely awaited for a more realistic view of just
how much bad debt banks have on their books, forced Japan's top seven
banking groups to top up loan-loss charges by 1.9 trillion yen ($14.5
billion) for the year to March 31. REUTERS/Eriko Sugita

ES/RCS 

Japanese trade Minister Takeo Hiranuma rubs his nose during a
parliament session in Tokyo March 6, 2002. Hiranuma said on Wednesday
he deeply regretted a decision by the United States to impose tariffs
on steel imports to help the struggling domestic industry. On his left
is Financial service Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa. REUTERS/Toshiyuki
Aizawa

TA/CP 

Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa attends a Lower House
budget committee question-and-answer session in Tokyo February 14,
2002. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi instructed his economic
ministers on Wednesday evening to draft an anti-deflation game plan and
urged the Bank of Japan to take bold action to tackle drops in prices.
REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa

TA/TAN 

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi speaks during a parliamentary
budget committee session in Tokyo February 4, 2002. His support rates
sinking and his reform credentials in doubt, Koizumi vowed anew on
Monday to forge ahead with vital but pinful change ot get Japan's
economy back on track. Behind him are his ministers, (L-R) new Foreign
Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, Economics Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa, Justice
Minister Mayumi Moriyama and Health and Welfare Minister Chikara
Sakakuchi. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa

TA/CP 

Japan Minister of Financial Sevices Agency Hakuo Yanagisawa (L) shakes
hands with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Horst Koehler
at the IMF Headquarters Building in Washington, September 5, 2001.
REUTERS/Larry Downing

LSD 

Makiko Tanaka, foreign; Hakuo Yanagisawa, financial services; Takeo Hiranuma, trade and industry; Mayumi Moriyama, justice; and Chikara Sakaguchi, health and welfare.

TA/PB 

Japanese Economics Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa attends a parliament session at the Upper House in Tokyo May 10, 2001. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said on Thursday Japan's economy was soft at the moment with its key engines in recent years like exports and corporate spending struggling.

KM/PB 

New Japanese [Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi] names his new cabinet in a keenly watched test of his will for reform in Tokyo April 26, 2001. From top left clockwise: Re-appointed Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa, new Defence Minister Gen Nakatani, re-appointed Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma, new Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka, new Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa, and new Economic Minister Heizo Takenaka. 

Newly appointed Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (C) poses for a photo session with his cabinet ministers at prime minister's official residence after finishing an attestation ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo April 26, 2001. Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Chikage Ogi is seen in the left and Finance Minister Seijuro Shiokawa, right. Financial Service chief Hakuo Yanagisawa is seen right behind of Koizumi and Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka is right next to Yanagisawa.

KM/CLH/ 

JAPAN'S FINANCIAL SERVICE AGENCY HEAD YANAGISAWA SPEAKS AT FIRST NEWS CONFERENCE AFTER BEING REAPPOINTED AT PRIME MINSITER'S OFFICIAL RESIDENCE IN TOKYO.


Japan's Financial Service Agency head Hakuo Yanagisawa speaks at a news conference after being reappointed as the agency chief at newly-elected Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's official residence in Tokyo April 26, 2001. Yanagisawa said on Thursday that banks' bad loans may have risen despite the government's efforts in recent years. 

Re-appointed Financial Services Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa, new Defence Minister Gen Nakatani, re-appointed Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma, new Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka, new Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa, and new Economic Minister Heizo Takenaka.

KM/CC 

Re-appointed Japanese Financial Services chief Hakuo Yanagisawa enters into the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo April 26, 2001. In a keenly watched test of his will for reform, new Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Thursday selected his new cabinet, keeping a highly regarded financial regulator in his post and tapping a veteran lawmaker for the key position of finance minister.

KM/CC 

Japanese Financial Services Agency's chief Hakuo Yanagisawa holds his head during a parliamentary committee meeting in Tokyo March 22, 2001. Yanagisawa said on Thursday the private sector appeared unenthusiastic about a government proposal for a private fund to be set up to rescue the struggling stock market.

KM/DL 

JAPANESE FINANCIAL SERVICE AGENCY CHIEF HAKUO YANAGISAWA CHECKS HIS MEMO AT A PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE IN TOKYO.


Japanese Financial Services Agency's chief Hakuo Yanagisawa checks his memo during a parliamentary committee in Tokyo March 22, 2001. Yanagisawa said on Thursday the private sector appeared unenthusiastic about a government proposal for a private fund to be set up to rescue the struggling stock market. 

Hakuo Yanagisawa speaks to reporters after being appointed as Financial Service Minister at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo December 5, 2000. The former finance bureaucrat won top marks from foreign investors for his tough approach to cleaning up Japan's banking system as the head of the Financial Reconstruction Committee.

TA/PB 

Hakuo Yanagisawa, head of the Financial Revitalisation Commission (FRC), concludes his news conference at his office in Tokyo March 12. The FRC approved the injection of a total 7.46 trillion yen public money into 15 leading banks in exchange for pledges to streamline their costly operations and take hefty loan loss charges in order to restore their financial health. The tight-fisted Japanese financial regulators took a major step forward on Friday to faciliate government-led discipline in the messy banking sector by giving a formal go-ahead to hefty public fund injection.

TA/CC 

Minister for Financial Revitalisation Hakuo Yanagisawa puts his glasses on before reading Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's statement at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo December 13. Japan's goverment said on Sunday that it has declared the ailing Nippon Credit Bank (NCB) insolvent and will put it under temporary state control.

HY/TAN 

Hakuo Yanagisawa, Japan's new special minister in charge of financial matters, speaks at his first news conference upon appointment by [Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi] at the prime minister's office October 23. Yanagisawa is to serve as special minister until a Financial Revitalisation Committee is set up, expected in December, when he will assume the post of chairman. 

Hakuo Yanagisawa, Japan's new special minister in charge of financial matters, speaks at his first news conference upon appointment by Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi at the prime minister's office October 23. Yanagisawa is to serve as special minister until a Financial Revitalisation Committee is set up, expected in December, when he will assume the post of chairman.

ES/JIR 

Hakuo Yanagisawa, Japan's new special minister in charge of financial matters, speaks as he is surrounded by reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo October 23, upon appointment by Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi to the new post. Yanagisawa said he hoped all the nation's major banks would apply for injections of public funds to strengthen their capital bases.

ES/JIR/CLH/ 

National Land Agency director general Hakuo Yanagisawa (R), Management and Coordination Agency director general Seiichi Ota (2nd/R), Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura (3rd/R) and other Japanese cabinet ministers appear to be dozing off prior to voting at the Lower House of Parliament October 13 on a bill that would allow the government to pump public money into weak banks. The Lower House quickly approved the bill, which is expected to be fully enacted by the ruling and two opposition parties by Friday, seeking to strengthen viable banks weighed down by bad loans.
**DIGITAL IMAGE** 

National Land Agency director general Hakuo Yanagisawa (R), Management and Coordination Agency director general Seiichi Ota (2nd/R), Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura (3rd/R) and other Japanese cabinet ministers appear to be dozing off prior to voting at the Lower House of Parliament October 13 on a bill that would allow the government to pump public money into weak banks. The Lower House quickly approved the bill, which is expected to be fully enacted by the ruling and two opposition parties by Friday, seeking to strengthen viable banks weighed down by bad loans.

ES/CC