Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office of the Cabinet Secretariat · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Born in Japan · Nationality Japanese — Politics / institutions
Documented profile covering 9 controversies, including “Remarks about elderly people in poor health: "Why should I pay?"” and “"Let them hurry up and die": end-of-life care controversy”.
Profile No. 0279 · Updated on 12 October 2026
§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology
2024-01–02
While praising Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Aso called her "obasan", added that he would not say she was particularly beautiful and repeatedly got her name wrong. The remarks were denounced as sexist and ageist.
Last verified: 22 August 2026
2017–2021
As Finance Minister, Aso faced strong calls to resign after his ministry acknowledged falsification of documents linked to Moritomo Gakuen, destruction of records and numerous inaccurate answers. He forfeited one year's ministerial salary as part of disciplinary measures.
Last verified: 22 August 2026
2021-10
While campaigning in Otaru, Aso stated that global warming had helped make Hokkaido rice tastier, thereby, according to critics, downplaying decades of crop breeding and the damage caused by climate change. Kishida described the wording as inappropriate.
Last verified: 22 August 2026
2014–2019
Aso prompted several controversies by stating that the main demographic problem was not elderly people but those who did not have children. He withdrew similar wording in 2019 following criticism.
Last verified: 22 August 2026
2018
Administrative Vice-Minister Junichi Fukuda resigned following allegations of sexual harassment towards a female journalist. Aso was criticised over the ministry's request that victims identify themselves and for stating that "there is no crime of sexual harassment".
Last verified: 22 August 2026
2017
Aso stated that results mattered more than motivations and cited Hitler in a way that could be interpreted as suggesting his motivations might have been right despite the millions of deaths. He withdrew his remarks following criticism.
Last verified: 22 August 2026
2013-01
At a meeting on social security, Aso referred to patients kept alive through intensive treatment and said the problem would not be solved until they were allowed to "hurry up and die", in the context of his own wish to refuse life-prolonging treatment.
Last verified: 22 August 2026
2013-07–08
Discussing constitutional revision, Aso referred to how the Nazi regime had neutralised the Weimar Constitution and asked why people should not "learn from that technique". The remark prompted strong international criticism.
Last verified: 22 August 2026
2008
While Prime Minister, Aso criticised elderly people whom he considered insufficiently attentive to their health and questioned why he should pay their medical expenses. His remarks were denounced as stigmatising.
Last verified: 22 August 2026
Documented biographical or institutional milestones (elections, appointments, foundings, acquisitions…). These are not controversies and are not counted as such.
Following Japan's decision to release diluted treated Fukushima water into the sea, Aso stated that "nothing would happen" if it were drunk, according to information he had received. China retorted that he should drink it himself, triggering a diplomatic exchange.
No documented link with another published profile for now.
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