Kyodo News On the night of April 2, when then Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi suffered a stroke and fell into a coma, Teijiro Furukawa was one of the few people immediately informed, and he promptly busied himself arranging for a smooth transfer of power.
Furukawa is deputy chief Cabinet secretary, the top government official with no parliamentary seat.
While consulting with Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki, an Upper House member known for his close ties with Obuchi, Furukawa quickly made arrangements for Aoki's late-night news conference and his appointment as provisional acting prime minister.