Monday, Apr. 04, 2011
Yukio Edano
Age: 46
Occupation: Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary
Previous TIME 100 appearances: 0
Japan's most tireless political spokesman has been the measured voice of a nation reeling from cataclysms natural and man-made. In a now iconic pale blue emergency jumpsuit, Edano delivered from Tokyo admirably unscripted updates at all hours — so constantly that Japanese microbloggers began imploring him to sleep. His unflagging presence at the podium has gained him his people's trust and made of him a symbol of the country's resolve in the face of great loss.