Ritsuko Nagao

Ritsuko Nagao
長尾 立子
Minister of Justice
In office
11 January 1996 – 7 November 1996
Prime MinisterRyutaro Hashimoto
Preceded byHiroshi Miyazawa
Succeeded byIsao Matsuura
Member of the House of Councillors
In office
19 May 1997 – 25 July 1998
Preceded byHitoshi Shimasaki
Succeeded byMulti-member district
ConstituencyNational PR
Personal details
Born(1933-05-01)1 May 1933
Died10 January 2026(2026-01-10) (aged 92)
PartyLiberal Democratic
Alma materUniversity of Tokyo
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Ritsuko Nagao (Japanese: 長尾立子, romanizedNagao Ritsuko; 1 May 1933 – 10 January 2026) was a Japanese politician who was the first woman to serve as the Minister of Justice.

In 1996, Nagao was appointed to the Cabinet of Japan as the Minister of Justice by Ryutaro Hashimoto, where she was the only woman and only appointee who was not a member of Parliament already. Before her appointment as the Minister of Justice, she worked as a bureaucrat in the Health and Welfare Ministry.

Nagao died on 10 January 2026, at the age of 92.