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Reared as a poor farm boy, Ohira graduated from Tokyo College of Commerce, one of Japan's top institutions. During World War II, he worked as a tax official in China's occupied Inner Mongolia, and on his return to Japan became a section head in the Finance Ministry. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1952 and served ten consecutive terms. As Foreign Minister in Kakuei Tanaka's Cabinet from 1972 to 1974, Ohira successfully promoted the normalization of Japan's relations with China. Even though Tanaka's government was toppled in 1974 by corruption charges—Tanaka himself was accused of taking a $2 million bribe from Lockheed —Ohira went on to become Prime Minister in December 1978. Said he to his doctors just before he died: "I would have no [personal] regrets in resigning, but I am in politics for the sake of Japan."
Chief Cabinet Secretary Masayoshi Ito was named to fill Ohira's position until the election is held and a new Diet can be convened. If the Liberal Democrats retain their majority, they may name a noncontroversial figure to serve out Ohira's term as Prime Minister, which ends in early December. Hirokichi Nadao, 80, who is one of the founders of the Liberal Democratic Party and house speaker, is one possibility; Eiichi Nishimura, 82, the vice president of the party, is another. Local politicians were already saying that Ohira's death actually might help restore party unity, and thus bring victory in the election. Such optimism is in keeping with ancient lore: the army of the fallen samurai always wins the battle in his honor.