Kiyoshi Mori

Kiyoshi Mori was a Japanese politician and businessman born on October 8, 1915, in Chiba Prefecture, and he passed away on June 9, 1968. His court rank was Shōsanmi (First Grade Middle Imperial Court Rank). His father was the founder of Showa Denko, Morishige Mori, who served as a member of the House of Representatives. His brothers include Mori Yoshihide (a member of the House of Representatives) and Mori Akira. His sisters include Mutsuko Miki, the wife of Takeo Miki, as well as Mitsue and Misao.

He graduated in 1938 from the Department of Geology and Mineralogy at Kyoto Imperial University. That same year, he was involved in mineral development in Manchuria. Subsequently, he joined Nippon Yakin Kogyo, where his older brother was president, and assisted him as a director. He also served as president of Showa Explosive, founded by his father.

In his political career, he was first elected to the House of Representatives in the 25th general election of 1952, representing Chiba 3rd district. He was re-elected seven times, belonging to the Liberal Party and later the Liberal Democratic Party. His contemporaries in elections included Kakuei Tanaka, Masayoshi Ohira, Yasuhiro Kanoko, and Kōzō Ueki. Within his political party, he served as Administrative Management Parliamentary Vice-Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry Parliamentary Vice-Minister. In 1966, during the first reshuffle of Prime Minister Sato's cabinet, he was appointed General Administrator of the Cabinet Office.

Regarding faction affiliation, he initially belonged to the Kōno faction but split from it in 1965 due to disagreements over management policy, opposing Yasuhiro Nakasone. Afterward, his faction split, and he led his own faction, the Mori faction.

At the time of his death, he was undergoing treatment for renal hypertension and uremia. He died at his residence in Seijo Town, Setagaya Ward, at the age of 52. Following his death, he was posthumously awarded the Third Rank and the First Class of the Order of the Sacred Treasure. A memorial address was delivered by Kiyonobu Ujikawa in the House of Representatives plenary session on August 2 of the same year.

Regarding his family, he was married to Mari Mori, and they had four children: their eldest daughter, Maya (born 1935), their second daughter, Kinami (born 1937), their eldest son, Naomasa (born 1938), and their second son, Hideki (born 1946). An individual referred to as Tsuruyo Tori, considered his mistress, wrote in her autobiography that following Mori’s prescribed treatment, she experienced blindness and worsening health, and she died at her home.

Other relatives include his uncle, Ryo Iwase; his sister Mitsue (married to Masao Anzai); his sister-in-law, Mutsuko Miki (wife of Takeo Miki); his nephew, Takayuki Anzai (son of Princess Michiko’s sister); and nieces and nephews such as Noriyuki Takahashi, Nagayuki Takahashi, and Hiroshi Miki.

Additionally, in 1966, he played a role in mediating between the government and Chiba Prefecture’s governor regarding the change of construction site for New Tokyo International Airport (Narita International Airport), working alongside Liberal Democratic Party Vice President Masuji Kawashima.