Formation 3 May 1947 | ||
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Appointer The Prime Ministerattested to by the Emperor | ||
The Deputy Prime Minister of Japan (副総理, Fuku-sōri) is a senior member of the Cabinet of Japan. The office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not a permanent position, existing only at the discretion of the Prime Minister.
Deputy prime minister possesses no special powers as such, though they will always have particular responsibilities in government. They do not automatically succeed the Prime Minister, should the latter be incapacitated or resign from the leadership of his or her political party. In practice, however, the designation of someone to the role of Deputy Prime Minister may provide additional practical status within cabinet, enabling the exercise of de facto, if not de jure, power.
The current Deputy Prime Minister is Tarō Asō, who took the post on 26 December 2012.