Hana Tanaka

Hana Tanaka (born August 18, 1910 – September 13, 1995) was a Japanese politician and the wife of Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka. She was born in Tokyo.

### Life

Born in Tokyo in 1910 (Meiji 43). She was the eldest daughter of Kihira Sakamoto, a civil engineering and construction contractor. Her father managed the construction company Sakamoto-gumi, which was connected to the Home Ministry. Her mother’s name was Kane.

In childhood, she underwent surgery for otitis media, which is believed to have caused her to have hearing difficulties in her later years.

She graduated from Otsuma High School for Girls.

### Marriage and Family

At age 23, she married Take Sakurai and had a daughter named Shizuko, but they divorced in 1935 (Showa 10). Later, in 1942 (Showa 17), she remarried Kakuei Tanaka.

In 1943 (Showa 18), she gave birth to her eldest son, Masanori, who died at the age of five. In 1944 (Showa 19), she had a daughter named Makiko. Additionally, Shizuko was adopted by Kakuei Tanaka through an adoption arrangement, and she later married Yuto Ikeda, a nephew of Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda.

### Political Activity and Public Roles

Kakuei Tanaka was elected to the House of Representatives in 1947 (Showa 22). He served as Prime Minister from July 7, 1972, to December 9, 1972. However, Hana rarely appeared in public, and the role of First Lady was primarily fulfilled by their daughter, Makiko Tanaka.

### Related Information

In the 1970s, during the 26th Oka Sho (YPBA Derby for fillies), she was known as the nominal owner of the winning horse Verona, but the actual ownership was by her husband, Kakuei Tanaka.

### Death

She passed away at the age of 85 on September 13, 1995.

### Anecdotes

At the time of her marriage to Kakuei Tanaka, she is said to have imposed three vows: "Do not ask him to leave," "Never stand in his way," and "If one day you cross the Nijubashi Bridge (at the Imperial Palace), accompany him."

It is also said that after dining at a fancy restaurant, Kakuei Tanaka would immediately return home and eat her homemade fried rice before going to sleep.

### Family Relations

Her family relationships, such as her daughter Shizuko’s adoption and her daughter Makiko’s marriage, are notable features of her personal life.

### References and Sources

Detailed references include the joint publication of the Japan Personnel Directory (Showa 9 edition, volume 1, 1933) by the United Communications Agency and Koichi Kobayashi’s "Nagatacho Onna Taikouki: Prime Minister’s Wife's Special Stories" (1983).