This is a complete chronological list of every man who has served as Prime Minister of Japan, appointed, elected, or by default.
The ordinals on the left denote terms, rather than the number of men to have held the office. The first time a Prime Minister is listed, his name is followed by the dates he lived in parentheses. Consecutive terms held by the same man are listed together. Interim and acting Prime Ministers are denoted by an asterisk and are not numbered.

1. Itou Hirobumi (伊藤 博文) (October 16, 1841 - October 25, 1909), December 22, 1885 - April 30, 1888
2. Kuroda Kiyotaka (黒田 清隆) (October 16, 1840 - August 23, 1900), April 30, 1888 - October 25, 1889
* Sanjou Sanetomi (三条 実美) - Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, Interim Prime Minister
3. Yamagata Aritomo (山縣 有朋) (June 14, 1838 - February 1, 1922), December 24, 1889 - May 6, 1891
4. Matsukata Masayoshi (松方 正義) (February 25, 1835 - July 2, 1924), May 6, 1891 - August 8, 1892
5. Itou Hirobumi (伊藤 博文), August 8, 1892 - August 31, 1896
* Kuroda Kiyotaka (黒田 清隆) - Chairman of the Privy Council, Interim Prime Minister
6. Matsukata Masayoshi (松方 正義), September 18, 1896 - January 12, 1898
7. Itou Hirobumi (伊藤 博文), January 12, 1898 - June 30, 1898
8. Ookuma Shigenobu (大隈 重信) (February 16, 1838 - January 10, 1922), June 30, 1898 - November 8, 1898
9. Yamagata Aritomo (山縣 有朋), November 8, 1898 - October 19, 1900
10. Itou Hirobumi (伊藤 博文), October 19, 1900 - May 10, 1901
* Saionji Kinmochi (西園寺 公望) - Chairman of the Privy Council, Interim Prime Minister
11. Katsura Tarou (桂 太郎) (January 4, 1848 - October 10, 1913), June 2, 1901 - January 7, 1906
12. Saionji Kinmochi (西園寺 公望) (October 23, 1849 - November 24, 1940), January 7, 1906 - July 14, 1908
13. Katsura Tarou (桂 太郎), July 14, 1908 - August 30, 1911
14. Saionji Kinmochi (西園寺 公望), August 30, 1911 - December 21, 1912
15. Katsura Tarou (桂 太郎), December 21, 1912 - February 20, 1913
16. Yamamoto Gonbee (山本 権兵衛) (November 26, 1852 - December 8, 1933), February 20, 1913 - April 16, 1914
17. Ookuma Shigenobu (大隈 重信), April 16, 1914 - October 9, 1916
18. Terauchi Masatake (寺内 正毅) (February 5, 1852 - November 3, 1919), October 9, 1916 - September 29, 1918
19. Hara Takashi (原 敬) (February 9, 1856 - November 4, 1921), September 29, 1918 - November 4, 1921
* Uchida Yasuya (内田 康哉) - Foreign Minister, Interim Prime Minister
20. Takahashi Korekiyo (高橋 是清) (July 27, 1854 - February 26, 1936), November 13, 1921 - June 12, 1922
21. Katou Tomosaburou (� 藤 友三郎) (February 22, 1861 - August 24, 1923), June 12, 1922 - August 24, 1923
* Uchida Yasuya (内田 康哉) - Foreign Minister, Interim Prime Minister
22. Yamamoto Gonbee (山本 権兵衛), September 2, 1923 - January 7, 1924
23. Kiyoura Keigo (清浦　奎吾) (February 14, 1850 - November 5, 1942), January 7, 1924 - June 11, 1924
24. Katou Takaaki (� 藤 高明) (January 3, 1860 - January 28, 1926), June 11, 1924 - January 28, 1926
* Wakatsuki Reijirou (若槻 礼次郎) - Interior Minister, Interim Prime Minister
25. Wakatsuki Reijirou (若槻 礼次郎) (March 21, 1866 - November 20, 1949), January 30, 1926 - April 20, 1927
26. Tanaka Giichi (田中 義一) (June 22, 1864 - September 29, 1929), April 20, 1927 - July 2, 1929
27. Hamaguchi Osachi (濱口 雄幸) (April 1, 1870 - August 26, 1931), July 2, 1929 - April 14, 1931
* Shidehara Kijuurou (幣原 喜重郎) - Foreign Minister, Acting Prime Minister when Hamaguchi was incapacitated, Nov. 14, 1930 - March 1931
28. Wakatsuki Reijirou (若槻 礼次郎), April 14, 1931 - December 13, 1931
29. Inukai Tsuyoshi (犬養 毅) (April 20, 1855 - May 15, 1932), December 13, 1931 - May 15, 1932
* Takahashi Korekiyo (高橋 是清) - Finance Minister, Acting Prime Minister
30. Saitou Makoto (斉藤 実) (October 27, 1858 - February 26, 1936), May 26, 1932 - July 8, 1934
31. Okada Keisuke (岡田 啓介) (January 20, 1868 - October 17, 1952), July 8, 1934 - March 9, 1936
* Gotou Fumio (後藤 文夫) - Home Minister, Acting Prime Minister while Okada was in hiding, Feb. 26-29, 1936
32. Hirota Kouki (廣田 弘毅) (February 14, 1878 - December 23, 1948), March 9, 1936 - February 2, 1937
33. Hayashi Senjuurou (林 銑十郎) (February 23, 1876 - February 4, 1943), February 2, 1937 - June 4, 1937
34. Konoe Fumimaro (近衞 文麿) (October 12, 1891 - December 16, 1945), June 4, 1937 - January 5, 1939
35. Kiichirou Hiranuma (平沼 騏一郎) (September 12, 1867 - August 22, 1952), January 5, 1939 - August 30, 1939
36. Abe Nobuyuki (安部 信行) (November 24, 1875 - September 7, 1953), August 30, 1939 - January 16, 1940
37. Yonai Mitsumasa (米内 光政) (March 2, 1880 - April 20, 1948), January 16, 1940 - July 22, 1940
38 - 39. Konoe Fumimaro (近衞 文麿), July 22, 1940 - October 18, 1941
40. Toujou Hideki (東條 英機) (December 30, 1884 - December 23, 1948), October 18, 1941 - July 22, 1944
41. Koiso Kuniaki (小磯 国昭) (March 22, 1880 - November 3, 1950), July 22, 1944 - April 7, 1945
42. Suzuki Kantarou (鈴木 貫太郎) (January 18, 1868 - April 17, 1948), April 7, 1945 - August 17, 1945
43. HIH Prince Naruhiko of Higashikuni (東久邇宮 稔彦王) (December 3, 1887 - January 20, 1990), August 17, 1945 - October 9, 1945
44. Shidehara Kijuurou (幣原 喜重郎) (August 11, 1872 - March 10, 1951), October 9, 1945 - May 22, 1946
45. Yoshida Shigeru (吉田 茂) (September 22, 1878 - October 20, 1967), May 22, 1946 - May 24, 1947
46. Katayama Tetsu (片山 哲) (July 28, 1887 - May 30, 1978), May 24, 1947 - March 10, 1948
47. Ashida Hitoshi (芦田 均) (November 15, 1887 - June 20, 1959), March 10, 1948 - October 15, 1948
48 - 51. Yoshida Shigeru (吉田 茂), October 15, 1948 - December 10, 1954
52 - 54. Hatoyama Ichirou (鳩山　一郎) (January 1, 1883 - March 7, 1959), December 10, 1954 - December 23, 1956
55. Ishibashi Tanzan (石橋 湛山) (September 25, 1884 - April 25, 1973), December 23, 1956 - February 25, 1957
* Kishi Nobusuke (岸 信介) - Foreign Minister, Acting Prime Minister while Ishibashi was ill
56 - 57. Kishi Nobusuke (岸 信介) (November 13, 1896 - August 7, 1987), February 25, 1957 - July 19, 1960
58 - 60. Ikeda Hayato (� 田 勇人) (December 3, 1899 - August 13, 1965), July 19, 1960 - November 9, 1964
61 - 63. Satou Eisaku (佐藤 � �作) (March 27, 1901 - June 3, 1975), November 9, 1964 - July 7, 1972
64 - 65. Tanaka Kakuei (田中 角� �) (May 4, 1918 - December 16, 1993), July 7, 1972 - December 9, 1974
66. Miki Takeo (三木 武夫) (March 17, 1907 - November 4, 1988), December 9, 1974 - December 24, 1976
67. Fukuda Takeo (福田 健夫) (January 14, 1905 - July 5, 1995), December 24, 1976 - December 7, 1978
68 - 69. Oohira Masayoshi (大平 正芳) (March 12, 1910 - June 12, 1980), December 7, 1978 - June 12, 1980
* Itou Masayoshi (伊東 正義) - Chief Cabinet Secretary, Interim Prime Minister
70. Suzuki Zenkou (鈴木 善幸) (January 11, 1911 - July 19, 2004), July 17, 1980 - November 27, 1982
71 - 73. Nakasone Yasuhiro (中曽� � 康弘) (b. May 27, 1918), November 27, 1982 - November 6, 1987
74. Takeshita Noboru (竹下 登) (February 26, 1924 - June 19, 2000), November 6, 1987 - June 3, 1989
75. Uno Sousuke (宇野 宗佑) (August 27, 1922 - May 19, 1998), June 3, 1989 - August 10, 1989
76 - 77. Kaifu Toshiki (海部 俊樹) (b. January 2, 1931), August 10, 1989 - November 5, 1991
78. Miyazawa Kiichi (宮澤 喜一) (October 8, 1919 - June 28, 2007), November 5, 1991 - August 9, 1993
79. Hosokawa Morihiro (細川 護煕) (b. January 14, 1938), August 9, 1993 - April 28, 1994
80. Hata Tsutomu (羽田 孜) (b. August 24, 1935), April 28, 1994 - June 30, 1994
81. Murayama Tomiichi (村山 富市) (b. March 3, 1924), June 30, 1994 - January 30, 1996
82 - 83. Hashimoto Ryuutarou (橋本 龍太郎) (July 29, 1937 - July 1, 2006), January 11, 1996 - July 30, 1998
84. Obuchi Keizou (小渕 恵三) (June 25, 1937 - May 14, 2000), July 30, 1998 - April 5, 2000
* Aoki Mikio (青木 幹雄) - Chief Cabinet Secretary, Acting Prime Minister during Obuchi’s coma and Interim Prime Minister following Obuchi’s death
85 - 86. Mori Yoshiro (森 喜朗) (b. July 14, 1937), July 4, 2000 - April 26, 2001
87 - 89. Koizumi Junichirou (小泉 純一郎) (b. January 8, 1942), April 26, 2001 - September 26, 2006
90. Abe Shinzou (安倍 晋三) (b. September 21, 1954), September 26, 2006 - September 26, 2007 (announced resignation on September 12, 2007)
91. Fukuda Yasuo (福田 康夫) (b. July 16, 1936), September 26, 2007 - September 2008
92. Aso Taro (

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Factoids, Trivia, and What-Have-You:

* 34 of the 91 Prime Minsters (by terms) have been members of the Liberal Democratic Party （自由民主党), the first being Hatoyama Ichirou in his third term (54th PM, 1/22/1955 - 12/23/1956), the most recent being Fukuda Yasuo (91st PM), who recently resigned.

* After the LDP, the most successful party in producing Prime Ministers has been the National Union Party with ten Prime Ministers, the first being Katou Tomosaburou (21st PM, 6/12/1922 - 8/24/1923), the last being Shidehara Kijuurou (10/9/1945 - 5/22/1946.)

* No party comes close to the LDP for consecutive years in control of the kantei. From November 22, 1955, when Hatoyama began his third term, to August 9, 1993, when Miyazawa Kiichi (78th PM, 11/5/1991 - 8/9/1993) lost a vote of no confidence, the LDP was in power for just shy of 38 years, presiding over all of the years of Japan’s astounding economic boom and the Bubble years.
In second place, again, is the National Union Party, which once held power for just over eight straight years, from Saitou Makoto (30th PM, 5/26/1932 - 7/8/1934) to Yonai Mitsumasa (37th PM, 1/16/1940 - 7/22/1940.)

* Both Saitou and Yonai, incidentally, were retired Admirals, two of six total, serving seven terms total.
The first retired Admiral to serve as Prime Minister was Yamamoto Gonbee (16th PM, 2/20/1913 - 4/16/1914), the last was Suzuki Kantarou (42nd PM, 4/7/45 - 4/17/45.)
Generals did slightly better, with seven individuals serving as Prime Minister, the first being retired General Katsura Tarou (11th PM, 6/2/1901 - 1/7/1906) and the last being active General Koiso Kuniaki (41st PM, 7/22/1944 - 4/7/1945.)

While no active Admirals have served as Prime Minister, three Generals have: Terauchi Masatake (18th PM, 10/9/1916 - 9/29/1918), the infamous Tojo Hideki (40th PM, 10/18/1941 - 7/22/1944), and Koiso.

* “Hey, Tojo was the 40th Prime Minister of Japan and Ronald Reagan was the 40th President of the United States!”
Shut up, you stupid conspiracy theory-believing college-yuppie hippie. You’re boring. Clean your goddamned fingernails.

* The first Prime Minister to belong to a political party was Okuma Shigenobu (8th PM, 6/30/1898 - 11/8/1898), one of modern Japan’s founding fathers and the founder of Tokyo’s prestigious Waseda University, who was in the Kenseitou for his first term, then the Rikken Doushikai (立憲同志会) for his second term (17th PM, 4/16/1914 - 10/9/1916.)

* The last Prime Minister to be in a political party was the most recent, Fukuda Yasuo. I thought I told you to leave me alone, you confounded hippie. (You can buy deodorant with Aluminum Zirconium Octachlorohydrex GLY, or Aluminum Tetrahydrochlorex GLY, or whatever variety of sweat-stopping Aluminum you want here.)