The prime minister of Japan is the country's head of government and the leader of the Cabinet. This is a list of prime ministers of Japan, from when the first Japanese prime minister (in the modern sense), Itō Hirobumi, took office in 1885, until the present day. 32 prime ministers under the Meiji Constitution had a mandate from the Emperor. The "electoral mandates" shown are for the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Imperial Diet, which was not constitutionally guaranteed to have any influence on the appointment of the prime minister. The prime minister under the Constitution of Japan is designated from among the members of the National Diet, and appointed by the Emperor after being nominated by the National Diet. The prime ministership of Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni, who was prime minister for fifty-four days in 1945, was the shortest in Japanese history. Shinzo Abe served the longest, with eight years over two non-consecutive periods. The current prime minister is Shigeru Ishiba, who assumed office on 1 October 2024. There are currently eleven living former prime ministers. The most recent former prime minister to die, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated on 8 July 2022.

From 1871 to 1885

The office of daijō-daijin (太政大臣, chancellor of the realm) was the equivalent of what would become the office of prime minister. It was an ancient role which had been discontinued in the 18th century and was briefly revived during the Meiji era.

Daijō-daijin (chancellor of the realm)

The office of Daijō-daijin was abolished in December 1885 with the appointment of Itō Hirobumi in the new position of prime minister of Japan (内閣総理大臣, Naikaku Sōri-Daijin).

Since 1885

Prime ministers

Timeline

Relations between Japanese prime ministers