Hatoyama's emergence within an American-sponsored, first-of-its-kind, democratic election was in many ways a profound statement on the true nature of internal Japanese politics.
Hatoyama was as much an anathema to American authorities as they were an insult to the sovereignty of the Japanese character.
Hatoyama's strength was in part due to his "bend but don't break" resistance to the American occupation.
A graduate of the law school of Tokyo Imperial Univ., he was first elected to the lower house of the Japanese legislature in 1915.
Hatoyama was education minister in the Inukai and Saito cabinets (1931-34).
In a series of moves he formed the Democratic party and became prime minister, deposing Shigeru Yoshida and forming three successive cabinets (1954-56).
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