Japanese newspaper boss who influenced the nation’s postwar politics died at 98

Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Tsuneo Watanabe, the powerful head of Japan’s largest newspaper who helped shape the country’s postwar politics, has died, his company said Thursday. He was 98. Watanabe, who was editor-in-chief of the Yomiuri Shimbun for over 30 years, had close ties with former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone and other powerful politicians from Japan’s conservative governing party. He died of pneumonia at a Tokyo hospital on Thursday, the Yomiuri said. Watanabe also owned the Yomiuri Giants, Japan’s most popular baseball team.