Daniel Inoue

Daniel Ken Inouye (English: Daniel Ken Inouye, September 7, 1924 - December 17, 2012), Wana Inouye (Japanese: Inoue Ken/Inoue sword, Romanized: Inoue Ken), a Japanese-American, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. He is a recipient of the U.S. Medal of Honor, a Democratic politician, and a U.S. senator representing the state of Hawaii. Senator Inoue served as President Pro Tempore of the Senate from 2010 to his death in 2012. He was the highest-ranking Asian politician in the history of the United States of America before Harris took office as Vice President in 2021, and served as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Inoue has been representing Hawaii in the U.S. Congress since its establishment as a state in 1959. Inoue was elected as one of Hawaii's first members of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1959 and was the first Japanese-American U.S. House of Representatives. He later served as a U.S. senator from 1963 until his death in 2012. He was the most senior U.S. senator. He succeeded his fellow senator Robert Byrd, who died in 2010, as the president pro tempore of the Senate, making him the highest-ranking Asian politician in U.S. history until Harris Harris became vice president. He has a very high political reputation in Hawaii. Inoue is also the first Japanese-American senator in the U.S. Senate.