Katayama, Tetsu (1887–1978)

Japanese politician. He headed a coalition government in 1947–48, becoming the country's first socialist prime minister. His government created a new ministry of labour, enacted an anti-monopoly law, and presided over the dissolution of the pre-war financial combines (zaibatsu), but became increasingly unpopular when economic crisis forced it to impose price and wage controls. After his resignation in 1948 he became identified with the party's right wing, and later , in 1950, helped to form the moderate Democratic Socialist Party, which supported the 1951 Security Treaty with the USA.

A Christian socialist, he helped form the Socialist People's Party (Shakai Minshuto) in 1926, one of a number of ‘proletarian parties’ founded during the 1920s. In 1945 he emerged as leader of the newly created Japan Socialist Party, which achieved a plurality of votes in the first elections held under the 1947 Peace Constitution.