Masami Kogayu, former vice finance minister, died Tuesday of heart failure at his home in Tokyo. He was 72.
Kogayu joined the Finance Ministry after graduating from the University of Tokyo in 1956. He served in various key posts, including head of the personnel division, director general of the budget bureau and secretary to former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone while Nakasone was in office.
After his retirement, Kogayu held several prominent positions, including chairman of the Fair Trade Commission and head of Japan Development Bank.
He also led the Development Bank of Japan until January 2001, following its establishment in October 1999 through the merger of Japan Development Bank and Hokkaido-Tohoku Development Finance Public Corp.