Wataru Asō

Wataru Asō (麻生 渡, Asō Wataru, born May 15, 1939) is the former governor of Fukuoka Prefecture in Japan, first elected in 1995. From 2005-11 he was also President of the National Governors Association (Japan) (全国知事会, Zenkoku Chiji-kai). A native of Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka and graduate of Kyoto University, he joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1963. He retired on 22 April 2011, and Hiroshi Ogawa replaced him as governor. Keiji Yamada took over as President of the Governor's Association.