Diplomatic critic Yukio Okamoto dies at 23:13 on May 7, infected with the new coronavirus

Mr. Yukio Okamoto, a diplomat critic and an aide to the Prime Minister in the Koizumi and Hashimoto cabinets, was found dead after being infected with the new coronavirus.

Yukio Okamoto became a diplomatic critic after serving as Director of the North American First Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then served as the Prime Minister's Assistant to the Okinawa issue in the then Hashimoto Cabinet.

After that, he was also appointed as an assistant to the Prime Minister in the Koizumi Cabinet, and examined the government's support measures for reconstruction after the end of the Iraq war.

After retiring as Assistant Prime Minister, he was active as a diplomatic critic on TV, but according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official, he was infected with the new coronavirus and died late last month.