Hirohide Ishida

Hirohide Ishida (石田 博英, Ishida Hirohide, 12 December 1914 – 14 October 1993) was a Japanese politician.

Early life

Born in Noshiro, Akita, Ishida entered Waseda University, where he majored in political science and economics. After graduating in 1939, he joined Chugai Shogyo Shimpo (later renamed Nihon Keizai Shimbun) and was appointed as its chief correspondent in Shanghai.

Political career

In 1947, Ishida was elected to the House of Representatives. He joined the Liberal Democratic Party in 1955, serving as Chief Cabinet Secretary under two prime ministers, Tanzan Ishibashi and Nobusuke Kishi, from 23 December 1956 to 10 July 1957. He was also appointed Minister of Labour and Minister of Transport. While he was Minister of Labour, he turned down the industry's request that unskilled labourers be allowed to immigrate and work at low pay.

In January 1963, Ishida published an article in Chūōkōron predicting that the Liberal Democratic Party would lose power to the Japan Socialist Party someday as the number of farmers, who were generally seen as fundamental supporters of the LDP, continued to decrease. His article stimulated the LDP to change its policy to expand its popular support among urban workers.

Ishida formed and chaired the Japan-USSR Friendship Parliamentarians' Union in 1973, visiting Moscow in 1973, 1974 and 1977. Stanislav Levchenko, a KGB Major who defected to the United States in 1979, revealed that Ishida was an agent for the Soviet Union.

Ishida left politics in November 1983.

Ishida Rose Garden

An amateur rosarian, Ishida planted the yard of his house with various kind of roses. Two years after his death, his rose garden was donated to the City of Odate and named Ishida Rose Garden (石田ローズガーデン, Ishida Rōzu Gāden). It is since opened to the public every June.

Honours

• Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (1987)