Masaharu Gotoda, a former deputy prime minister, died of pneumonia Monday, his aides and government sources said. He was 91.
Also a former National Police Agency chief, he was known as "Razor Gotoda" for his ability to survive cutthroat politics and to control elite bureaucrats after first being elected as a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker in 1976.
His office said it did not disclose his death until Wednesday according to his wishes.