Kono may receive part of sons liver

liver411

Kono may receive part of son's liver



Yomiuri Shimbun



Taro Kono, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, is expected to donate part of his liver to his 65-year-old father, Yohei, a former foreign minister, who has hepatitis C, sources said Tuesday.



If the disease is not treated it could develop into cancer, the younger Kono said.



The 39-year-old lawmaker said the operation would go ahead only if his liver is found to be compatible with his father's, and if doctors deem that the elder Kono is fit enough to endure the operation.



The elder Kono fell ill with an apparent cold early this year, and attended the Diet infrequently in January and February.



His health has reportedly improved, allowing him to attend a general meeting of the LDP group he heads and a House of Representatives plenary session.



The nation's first liver transplant was performed in 1989 at Shimane Medical University, and more than 1,000 liver transplants have been conducted since then.



Usually, the organs are taken from parents and transplanted into their children, but occasionally children donate organs to their parents or siblings.



Yohei Kono was born in 1937 as the son of Ichiro Kono, who served as agriculture, forestry and fishery minister and held other ministerial portfolios.



He was first elected lower house member in 1967, after graduating from Waseda University. He has been elected 12 times in lower house elections.



He assumed the presidency of the LDP in 1993, the year when the party first lost its grip on power, thus becoming the only LDP president who was unable to become prime minister