Ichirō Komatsu (小松 一郎, Komatsu Ichirō, 8 March 1951 – 23 June 2014) was a Japanese diplomat, civil servant and politician.

Ichirō Komatsu
小松 一郎
Director General of Cabinet Legislation Bureau
In office
8 August 2013 – 16 May 2014
Prime MinisterShinzo Abe
Preceded byTsuneyuki Yamamoto
Succeeded byYusuke Yokobatake
Personal details
Born(1951-03-08)8 March 1951
Kobe, Japan
Died23 June 2014(2014-06-23) (aged 63)
Suginami, Tokyo, Japan
Alma materHitotsubashi University

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Entered Seiko Gakuin Junior and Senior High School. After passing the foreign affairs public service class I examination (=diplomat recruitment examination), he dropped out of Hitotsubashi University's Faculty of Law after three years and entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972.He was appointed the Director-General of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau, a highly influential post, by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in August 2013.[1] The Cabinet Legislation Bureau advises Cabinet members on laws and legal matters, studies legislation, and determines how the government should interpret the Constitution of Japan.[1] He stepped down from the position in May 2014 due to declining health from cancer.[1] Komatsu had previously served as Japan's ambassador to France, Switzerland and Liechtenstein earlier in his career.[1][2]

Born in 1951, Komatsu graduated from Hitotsubashi University.[1] He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served as the ministry's director-general for international legal affairs.[1]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe unilaterally appointed Komatsu as Director-General of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau in August 2013. Komatsu was the first Foreign Ministry official to be appointed to the post.[1] Abe and Komatsu shared similar beliefs that Japan's pacifist Constitution should be revised to allow for more military involvement overseas.[1] Komatsu supported Abe's efforts to skirt Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution to increase Japan's security role on the international stage.[1]

Ichiro Komatsu died from cancer on 23 June 2014, at the age of 63.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Former Cabinet Legislation Bureau chief Komatsu dies at 63". Kyodo News. Japan Times. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  2. ^ Several new ambassadors named | The Japan Times