Departures of note

Tamisuke Watanuki was a Japanese politician and businessman who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2000 to 2003. Born in Toyama Prefecture, he graduated from Keio University and took over the Tonami Transportation Company in 1955, rebuilding it into a listed firm before entering politics. He was elected to the Toyama Prefectural Assembly in 1959 and to the Diet in 1969, serving thirteen consecutive terms as a Liberal Democratic Party member.

Within the LDP he held numerous senior posts, including parliamentary vice-minister roles, cabinet positions such as Construction Minister and Director-General of the National Land Agency, and LDP Secretary-General in 1991. He also chaired the Heisei Research Council and served as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

In 2005 Watanuki strongly opposed Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's postal privatization plan, voted against the bill, and left the LDP to co-found the People's New Party, becoming its first leader. He was expelled from the LDP but later readmitted in 2016. He retired from politics in 2009 and received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers in 2010.