is the widow

Widow

A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...

 of former Japanese Foreign Minister Iichirō Hatoyama

Iichirō Hatoyama

was a Japanese politician and diplomat. In 1976-1977, he was Foreign Minister under Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda.- Early years :Hatoyama was born in Tokyo to a high profile family. He studied at the University of Tsukuba....

 and heir to the Bridgestone Corporation fortune. She is the mother of former Prime Minister of Japan

Prime Minister of Japan

The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...

 Yukio Hatoyama

Yukio Hatoyama

is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan between 16 September 2009 and 2 June 2010, and was the first ever Prime Minister from the modern Democratic Party of Japan....

 and Diet

Diet of Japan

The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...

 member Kunio Hatoyama

Kunio Hatoyama

is a Japanese politician who served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications under Prime Minister Taro Aso until June 12, 2009.- Biography :Kunio Hatoyama was born in Tokyo in 1948...

.

Background and family

Hatoyama was born Yasuko Ishibashi (石橋 安子) in present-day Kurume, Fukuoka

Kurume, Fukuoka

is a city located in Fukuoka prefecture, Japan.The city has an estimated population of 303,277 and a population density of 1,319.51 persons per km²...

. Her father Shojiro Ishibashi

Shojiro Ishibashi

was a Japanese businessman who founded the Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest maker of tires, in 1930 in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. Bridgestone was named after its founder: In the Japanese language ishi means a "stone" and bashi mean "bridge"...

 founded the Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tiremaker, in 1930. She became heir to Ishibashi's considerable inheritance upon his death. She attended middle and high school in Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

, during which time she met former Iichirō Hatoyama

Iichirō Hatoyama

was a Japanese politician and diplomat. In 1976-1977, he was Foreign Minister under Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda.- Early years :Hatoyama was born in Tokyo to a high profile family. He studied at the University of Tsukuba....

, who later became Foreign Minister

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan)

The is a cabinet level ministry of Japan responsible for the country's foreign relations.The ministry is due to the second term of the third article of the National Government Organization Act , and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Establishment Act establishes the ministry...

. They were married at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo

Imperial Hotel, Tokyo

The Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan, was created in the late 1880s at the request of the Japanese aristocracy to cater to the increasing number of western visitors to Japan. The hotel site is located just south of the Imperial Palace grounds, next to the previous location of the Palace moat...

 in 1942.

The couple had two sons, both of whom have pursued successful political careers. Kunio Hatoyama

Kunio Hatoyama

is a Japanese politician who served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications under Prime Minister Taro Aso until June 12, 2009.- Biography :Kunio Hatoyama was born in Tokyo in 1948...

 served as the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications under Prime Minister Taro Aso

Taro Aso

was the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan serving from September 2008 to September 2009, and was defeated in the August 2009 election.He has served in the House of Representatives since 1979. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007, and was Secretary-General of the LDP briefly in 2007 and...

. Yukio Hatoyama

Yukio Hatoyama

is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan between 16 September 2009 and 2 June 2010, and was the first ever Prime Minister from the modern Democratic Party of Japan....

 defeated Aso in the 2009 general election

Japanese general election, 2009

A general election in Japan was held on August 30, 2009, for all 480 seats of the House of Representatives of Japan, the lower house of the Diet of Japan....

 and became the Prime Minister

Prime Minister of Japan

The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...

.

The Hatoyama family has been called "Japan's Kennedy family

Kennedy family

In the United States, the phrase Kennedy family commonly refers to the family descending from the marriage of the Irish-Americans Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald that was prominent in American politics and government. Their political involvement has revolved around the...

".

As of 2010, Hatoyama resides in a home for the elderly adjacent to St. Luke's International Hospital

St. Luke's International Hospital

is a general hospital located in the Tsukiji district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan. It was founded in 1902 by Rudolph Bolling Teusler, a missionary doctor sent by the American Episcopal Church. In 1933, R. B...

 in Chuo, Tokyo

Chuo, Tokyo

is one of the 23 special wards that form the heart of Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself as Chūō City in English.Its Japanese name literally means "Central Ward," and it is historically the main commercial center of Tokyo, although Shinjuku has risen to challenge it since the end of World War II...

.

Political activities

Hatoyama had contributed significant amounts of her inheritance to help finance the political and career goals of both her sons. She donated billions of yen in 1996 when her two sons, Kunio and Yukio, co-founded the Democratic Party of Japan

Democratic Party of Japan

The is a political party in Japan founded in 1998 by the merger of several opposition parties. Its socially liberal platform is generally considered center-left in the Japanese political spectrum...

 (DPJ). Her contributions helped to fund and establish the new political party

Political party

A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...

. She is nicknamed "Godmother

Godmother (film)

Godmother is a Hindi movie directed by Vinay Shukla released in 1999, and ostensibly inspired by the life of Santokben Jadeja.-Cast:* Shabana Azmi - Rambhi* Milind Gunaji - Veeram* Nirmal Pandey - Jakhra* Govind Namdeo - Kesubhai...

" within the Japanese political world for her financial

FINANCIAL

FINANCIAL is the weekly English-language newspaper with offices in Tbilisi, Georgia and Kiev, Ukraine. Published by Intelligence Group LLC, FINANCIAL is focused on opinion leaders and top business decision-makers; It's about world’s largest companies, investing, careers, and small business. It is...

contributions to the political ambitions of her family.